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One year after enacting significant enhancements to its gun control laws, Connecticut legislators appear to have shifted away from pursuing further restrictive measures on firearms during this year’s budget session, according to legislative leaders CT Insider is reporting.

State Rep. Steve Stafstrom, D-Bridgeport, co-chairman of the Connecticut Legislature’s Judiciary Committee, indicated that the focus this session will not be on major gun legislation. This decision comes despite Connecticut’s history of stringent gun control measures, particularly following the 2012 Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting.

The only significant gun-related bill moved forward this session, H.B. 5467, addresses technical adjustments to align state law with the 2022 updates to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System. This measure, which garnered bipartisan support, is pending further action in the House.

Another proposal under consideration, H.B. 5448, aims to criminalize the possession of a firearm within 250 feet of a polling place. It also seeks to safeguard the personal information of election workers. Additionally, a healthcare bill, S.B. 1, includes a mandate for physicians to provide patients with firearm safety materials.

“These pieces of legislation align with our need to adapt to technological advancements and address immediate safety concerns without overhauling our existing framework,” Stafstrom told CT Insider.

Despite the state’s rigorous laws, including a ban on military-style rifles since 1993 and multiple expansions to include various firearms and accessories, there is ongoing debate about the effectiveness and reach of such measures. Critics argue that these laws infringe on Second Amendment rights and predict that legislators will continue to push for stricter regulations.

Mark Oliva, a spokesman for the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) based in Shelton, expressed concern over the continuous drive for more restrictive laws in Connecticut. He noted potential future efforts might mirror those in other states, such as recent proposals in Colorado to monitor gun sales through merchant category codes.

Looking ahead, Stafstrom expressed interest in innovative technologies like microstamping, which could enhance law enforcement’s ability to link spent bullet casings to the guns that fired them. While similar mandates have faced implementation delays in states like New York and New Jersey due to technological and feasibility concerns, Connecticut may consider such legislation once the technology proves viable.

Meanwhile, Connecticut continues to allocate significant resources to gun violence prevention, with CT Against Gun Violence focusing on securing $3.9 million in the state budget for related grants.

“Even though last year was a big year, maintaining funding is crucial for ongoing prevention efforts,” said Melissa Kane, interim executive director of the group.

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12 COMMENTS

    • I was stuck there for 25 years. Outhouse is too kind of a description. It implies utility value.

  2. I don’t like their politics, but it sure is pretty countryside. My daughter spent a summer there dancing at the Nutmeg Conservatory. We made a working vacation out of bringing her home. It was beautiful and the weather beat the shit out of the heat and humidity I left in Florida.

  3. With 45 gazillion laws on the books its pretty hard to come up with some new ones, but they’ll keep trying.

  5. Grew up in NJ, had family in CT. Until 2012, it wasn’t ideal, but not awful either by blue state standards. Handguns or “assault weapons” were a pain but still legal, getting a CCW permit was possible, and you could buy any other long guns at a shop or private sale easily. No FOID card needed. NFA items were g2g, and unlike NJ, they actually followed federal law about pre-1898 guns being antiques. It honestly seemed like greener pastures in my youth. Now, forget it. Pretty state, rich history, beautiful countryside, absolute garbage politicians.

  6. Connecticut’s real problem is that a huge mass of poverty-stricken humanity sits right on their west border. When bankruptcy & collapse finally arrives, those have-not folks will steamroll through the state devouring everything in sight. It will be an easy target.

    • Along I-95 and the coastal cities, sure it’d be the apocalypse. Terrain starts to look a whole lot like WV in an uphill crawl for tens of miles north of Bridgeport, and there’s a whole lot of armed people and combat vets north of I-84 who wouldn’t take kindly to their peaceful solitude being interrupted. There’s all the natural, elevated, rocky cover light infantry in the defense could ever dream of too.

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