Update on Pending Connecticut Gun Bills

In the Connecticut State Legislature, the deadlines for committees to act on bills are rapidly approaching and there are several anti-gun, anti-hunting bills awaiting action, as well as one pro-gun bill. 

Senate Bill 353: The Joint Committee on Judiciary has until Friday, April 3 to consider this bill.  Sponsored by State Senator Martin Looney (D-11), SB353 would prohibit the sale of handguns that are not equipped with microstamping technology.

Micro-stamping is an unproven technology that would require identifying information (such as the make, model, and serial number) of a firearm to be etched into the firing pin and breech face in such a manner that those identifiers are imprinted on the cartridge case upon firing.  The technology can easily be defeated with common household tools, has no public safety value, and adds substantially to the cost of the firearm.  We will be sure to provide further details when a hearing date is set for SB353.

In addition, several bills introduced at the request of Governor Jodi Rell (R), are awaiting consideration in the Connecticut Legislature.  These bills will have an enormous negative impact on Connecticut's hunters, sportsmen and law-abiding gun owners, both economically and otherwise. 

House Bill 6371 would double most hunting and fishing licenses and fees and eliminate the Conservation Fund, a fund spent on only wildlife conservation expenditures.  Senate Bill 837, simply stated, would double pistols license fees.  Finally, Senate Bill 839 would transfer operations of the currently independent Board of Firearm Permit Examiners to the Department of Public Safety.  This action, if approved, would take away the autonomy of the Board and would mean that if an applicant were denied his license he would have to appeal to the very body, the Department of Public Safety, that rejected the application. 

House Bill 5798, sponsored by State Representative Diana Urban (D-43), poses a real threat to hunters by prohibiting the "unreasonable confinement or tethering of dogs."  HB5798 could negatively impact hunters by limiting their ability to kennel, transport and in any way house dogs bred for the purpose of hunting.

NRA supported legislation, House Bill 5209, sponsored by State Representative Craig Miner (R-66), is No-Net-Loss legislation that would maintain the amount of state land where hunting is permitted.  HB5209 would also require that additional lands be opened to hunting if land that is currently open to hunting is closed. The end result is to assure hunters that the opportunities they now have will not diminish.

Please call your lawmakers TODAY and respectfully urge them to oppose SB353, HB6371, SB837, SB839, and HB5798.

Please call your lawmakers TODAY and respectfully urge them to support HB5209.

For contact information for your State Representative, please click here.  

Please click here for contact information for your State Senator.