House of Representatives passes ban on bump stocks

May 1, 2018

Today the state House of Representatives took a step toward addressing the national epidemic of gun violence by passing legislation that would ban bump stocks.

House Bill 5542, which I helped lead passage of, now heads to the state Senate for further consideration.Through House Bill 5542, devices that enhance the firing capability of a gun -- like those used in the Las Vegas massacre -- would be banned.

By passing this legislation, we honor the intent of the gun laws the legislature passed five years ago which state that automatic rifles have no place in our schools, our movie theaters, or on our streets. Adding a bump stock to a semiautomatic rifle transforms it into an automatic rifle.

Enacting a ban on bump stocks ensures that we are honoring the intent of our state law as it already exists.

In the wake of the tragedy at Sandy Hook, Connecticut has been at the forefront of addressing gun violence by passing some of the nation's toughest gun laws. But we need to do more.

While this step alone is not enough to end the national epidemic of gun violence, it is one that can help prevent another person from falling victim to this growing culture of violence.