"Lost and Stolen" Gun Bill Still Pending in Connecticut House!

Legislative Session Winding Down – URGENT ACTION NEEDED!

As anticipated, on Wednesday, May 23, the State Senate amended a modified version of Senate Bill 903, "Lost or Stolen Firearms," into Senate Bill 938, and approved the bill by a vote of 24-11.  As amended, SB903 would make it a crime to fail to report the loss or theft of a firearm to police within 72 hours of when you "discover or should have discovered" it missing. 

According to the measure, when a law-abiding citizen reports the loss or theft of a handgun to police, it would immediately trigger an investigation into the whether the owner "should have discovered" the missing gun and expose the owner to criminal prosecution.  As amended the bill now applies only to handguns, but police and prosecutors will retain total discretion to decide what a person "should have discovered." The problems for law-abiding gun owners who run afoul of this proposed law would be compounded if multiple guns are stolen -- as a victim now could fit the definition of a "gun trafficker" according to the language in this bill! This measure now heads to the State House for consideration.  

Please call your State Representative TODAY at (860) 240-0400 and urge him or her to OPPOSE SB 938.  Let your Representative know that this bill will only make criminals out of crime victims!   Also politely let them know that they should not replicate Senate's lack of respect for the legislative process in circumventing the committee system and reviving a bill that lacked the support to make out of the Public Safety Committee.