Final Days of Action for the Connecticut Joint Committee on Judiciary

The Connecticut Joint Committee on Judiciary has three more days to take action on two firearms-related bills of interest to Connecticut gun owners.  If no action is taken by the April 15 deadline these bills will be defeated for the 2011 legislative session.

Anti-gun bill, SB 1094, is a bill in search of a problem, despite the recent media attention given to “large capacity” magazines, no correlation exists between the size or arbitrary capacity of a detachable magazine and violent crime. Owners of “large capacity” magazines are not criminals or individuals intent on committing atrocious acts; they are sportsmen or firearm enthusiasts who own the magazines for a variety of lawful reasons, including sport, competition or self-defense. 

SB 1094 would prohibit the possession of firearm magazines that accept more than ten rounds of ammunition.  If passed and signed into law, any person in possession of any magazine greater than ten rounds, who has not already surrendered the magazine prior to enactment or within ninety days after enactment, will be guilty of a class D felony. 

Self-defense bill, SB 1210 would create a presumption under Connecticut law that it is reasonable to believe that deadly physical force is necessary to defend oneself from a person who has unlawfully entered a dwelling.  

The Joint Committee on Judiciary has until April 15 to take action on these bills.  It is critical that you contact members of the Joint Committee on Judiciary here and respectfully urge them to oppose SB 1094 and any legislation that forces law-abiding citizens to surrender their property and support SB 1210.