Bob Godfrey

I joined Judiciary Committee co-chairs Rep. Steve Stafstrom (D-Bridgeport) and Sen. Gary Winfield (D-New Haven)  and several legislative colleagues from both parties and activists to announce legislation the committee would take on to reduce gun violence and make Connecticut communities safer. 

The Judiciary Committee later voted to hold public hearings on several gun responsibility proposals:

1. A ban on 3D-printed firearms, aptly dubbed ghost guns.  These weapons are partially completed so they do not meet the federal definition of a firearm and can be sold without background checks or serial numbers to anyone:
2. Strengthening Connecticut’s firearm storage laws to require safer storage of weapons in homes and motor vehicles.  Rep. Sean Scanlon introduced legislation after 15-year-old Ethan Song of Guilford accidentally shot and killed himself visiting a friend’s house in January 2018.  The bill would amend the current statute, which I championed almost thirty years ago, to ensure all firearms, including unloaded ones, are stored properly and safely, both at home and in a motor vehicle. The proposals would close a loophole that prevented prosecutors in Song’s killing from charging the owner of the gun that was used by a minor;
3. Requiring people who hold a permit to carry a firearm openly to show their firearm permit to law enforcement officers if requested.

Connecticut has been in the forefront of gun responsibility laws for 30 years, when I joined with Democrats and Republicans to guide the “Kids and Guns Bill” to passage.  Connecticut has been in the forefront since 1994, when we banned the civilian ownership of military-style assault weapons. We were in the forefront after Sandy Hook.  We're in the forefront with today's bills, all designed to make our kids, our homes, and our streets safer.