Connecticut: Call Your Lawmakers Today

Members of the Public Safety Committee could soon consider a measure that makes criminals out of law-abiding gun owners and takes aim at licensed gun dealers and manufacturers. Proposed Substitute Bill No. 6657 would make criminals out of burglary victims by making it a crime to fail to report a gun theft to police within 72 hours. This legislation puts the law-abiding gun owner, who has been a crime victim, in the position of having to prove to police that he has been victimized.

Proposed Substitute Bill No. 6657 would also allow cities and towns to shut down legal gun stores by requiring locally-issued permits for the sale of rifles and shotguns by federally-licensed dealers at retail. This would have a direct impact on the "big box" stores, such as Wal-Mart, who only sell long guns. The bill would also have a negative impact on any manufacturers or distributors, based right here in Connecticut, that are federally licensed as dealers. This legislation would do nothing to further enhance public safety, and would do nothing more than curtail legal commerce in firearms through overly burdensome and clearly redundant state requirements.