Month: May 2019

Senator Cohen Strongly Supports State Senate Passage of Ethan’s Law and Two Other Gun Safety Bills

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Senator Cohen Strongly Supports State Senate
Passage of Ethan’s Law and Two Other Gun Safety Bills

HARTFORD, CT – Today, state Senator Christine Cohen (D-Guilford) voted in favor of Ethan’s Law and two other pieces of legislation to improve Connecticut’s gun safety laws. On Thursday, the Senate advanced three bills that would require guns to be stored in locked containers in homes with minors, prohibit the manufacturing of firearms without serial numbers and “ghost guns,” and require pistols and firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be locked and secured.

Ethan’s Law, House Bill 7218 (HB 7218), is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was accidentally killed by an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was stored. Sen. Cohen championed Ethan’s Law on the state Senate floor and thanked the Ethan’s parents, Kristin and Mike Song, for their courage and hard work in getting this legislation passed. HB 7218 passed by a bipartisan 34-2 vote.

“The passage of this legislation is a testament to the strength of Kristin and Mike Song,” said Sen. Cohen. “They speak to everyone who will listen to them about how to fix our broken gun safety laws. Due to their efforts and those of state Representative Sean Scanlon and state Senator Gary Winfield as well as the rest of my delegation, we have created a safer Connecticut for children and families. Sadly, the tragic story of Ethan Song is not an aberration, so I am thrilled we took a step in right direction to ensure the safety of our state’s young people.”

Current state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. HB 7218 strengthens this law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a unloaded or loaded firearm a Class D felony and also requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.

Ghost Guns

The rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.

House Bill No. 7219, which passed 28-7, prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.

Safe Storage in Cars

House Bill No. 7223, which passed 20-15, concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.

This legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee, a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.

Senator Flexer Applauds Senate Passage Of Bill Increasing Student Membership On The Board Of Regents And UConn Board Of Trustees

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Senator Flexer Applauds Senate Passage Of Bill Increasing Student Membership On The Board Of Regents And UConn Board Of Trustees

HARTFORD, CT – Today, the Senate passed legislation that would change the number of members on the Board of Regents for Higher Education and UConn Board of Trustees to include more student voices. The bill passed by a 26-10 vote. Senator Mae Flexer, who is Vice Chair of the Higher Education and Employment Advancement Committee, praised the passage of the bill.
“It’s critical that students have a voice on the Board of Regents and the UConn Board of Trustees,” said Senator Flexer. “These boards make all of the critical decisions regarding our public institutions of higher education. Students at UConn, our state universities and our community colleges are facing ever increasing tuition and their input should be amplified as budgets are being set.”

Senate Bill 817, “An Act Concerning Higher Education,” would change the number of board members on the Board of Regents for Higher Education from 21 to 23 members. The chairperson and vice-chairperson of the student advisory committee will become members of the Board. One student will be a student of the Connecticut State University System or Charter Oak State College and the other student will be a student of a regional community-technical college. The bill will also add two students to the Board of Trustees for the University of Connecticut. Similar legislation passed the state Senate unanimously in 2015 but was vetoed by then Governor Malloy.

“These boards also set policy in so many critical areas for our campuses,” continued Senator Flexer. “Student voices and the voices of young people are creating great societal change on campuses across our state. It’s more important than ever to boost their voices, let them have a role in the decision making process, and give them the representation that they deserve.”

The bill now awaits a vote by the House of Representatives.

 

Senator Anwar Releases Statement Supporting House Approval Of Loan Program For Crumbling Foundation

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Senator Anwar Releases Statement Supporting House Approval Of Loan Program For Crumbling Foundations

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) issued the following statement after the House passed House Bill No. 5969, which would create a low-interest loan program for property owners with crumbling foundations who have received the maximum amount of financial assistance for home repairs and still require further funding.

“I am excited and happy that my colleagues in the House passed this important legislation,” said Sen. Anwar. “The crumbling foundation epidemic is hurting thousands of families across our state, and legislation like this shows that we are working hard to support them in their time of need. I look forward to asking my fellow Senators to support its passage.”

 

Senator Anwar Joins Legislative Leaders Announcing New Healthcare Plans

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Senator Anwar Joins Legislative Leaders Announcing New Healthcare Plans

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) joined legislators including Insurance and Real Estate Committee co-chairs State Senator Matt Lesser and State Representative Sean Scanlon, Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, Governor Ned Lamont and Comptroller Kevin Lembo, as they announced the “Connecticut Option,” a new proposal providing state residents with affordable, high-quality healthcare.

“As a physician I have seen far too often that people in our communities are making choices between buying food, medicine or paying for their household utilities and needs, ” said Senator Saud Anwar. “The Connecticut Option will give individuals and small businesses new access to healthcare plans that could save them significant sums. I am proud to see that we as a State will be moving towards expansion of health care options for our citizens, which will benefit everyone in our state.”

Under the new “Connecticut Option,” individuals and small businesses will have the choice of buying a new high-quality, high-value health care plan that could save them up to twenty percent in premiums. Consumer advocates and health care policy experts will assist the Office of Health Strategy in designing the Connecticut Option, which insurance companies will be able to offer through their own provider networks or through a network developed by the Office of the State Comptroller. Connecticut Option plans will leverage our incredible public agencies and one of our state’s leading industries to provide innovative alternatives tailor-made for our residents and employers.

The proposal also takes several steps to lower costs in the individual market. It provides additional financial assistance to low-income residents who qualify for federal subsidies and more middle-class residents who currently struggle with the high cost of health insurance. That assistance will be funded by restoring the responsibility fee on residents who can afford but choose not to purchase health insurance. The proposal also restores the reinsurance program, funded through a surcharge on insurance companies that reduced premiums in the early years of the ACA. Similar programs in other states have reduced premiums by more than ten percent. Finally, it increases competition in the market by requiring insurance companies that serve our state employees to also provide cost-effective plans through the exchange.

In addition to improving the individual and small group markets, the proposal is designed to bring better care at a lower cost to all Connecticut residents by empowering the Office of Health Strategy to monitor health care spending growth, establish an annual cost growth benchmark, and recommend data-driven solutions to lower costs. That transparency and accountability will help curb price increases across health care providers, insurance carriers, pharmacy benefit managers, and drug and medical device manufacturers.

 

Senator Anwar Strongly Supports Bills Improving Gun Safety

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Senator Anwar Strongly Supports Bills Improving Gun Safety

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) voted to approve three bills that would enhance gun safety across Connecticut. The Senate advanced legislation that would require guns in homes with minors to be stored in locked containers, prohibit the manufacturing of “ghost gun” firearms without serial numbers and require pistols and firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be secured.

“Today, we voted on three bills related to gun safety, but before the votes I had a chance to meet with, cry with and hug families who have lost their loved ones to gun violence,” said Sen. Anwar. “Knowing the families, and how it has impacted them, made this vote personal. ‘Ethan’s Law’ will prevent the risk of guns kept in an unsafe manner, which can cause injury and harm to individuals. Another was about the responsibility of gun owners leaving their guns in their car, leaving them accessible to thieves. The third regards access of guns with no serial numbers that have high risk of being used for crime and violence. With new technology, it’s clear people are now able to print their guns at home – today, we were able to restrict that. This will reduce the risk of deaths from gun violence. While today should give us comfort we’ve moved in the right direction, it is also a sad day after meeting with those who lost their loved ones. We’re united to make sure this does not happen to other families.”

Ethan’s
Law

Current
state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and
unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety.

This
bill is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was shot with an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was improperly
stored.

According
to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard
School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.1

Ghost
Guns

The
rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about
three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two
individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.2

House
Bill No. 7219 prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame
or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The
law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution
for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this
month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.3

Safe
Storage in Cars

House
Bill No. 7223 concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with
further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This
law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.4

This
legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee,
a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just
this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.5

Sources
1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/risk/
2. https://www.thetrace.org/2019/05/ghost-gun-california-crime/
3. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-jersey-ghost-guns-lawsuit/new-jersey-sues-company-over-illegal-ghost-gun-sales-idUSKCN1R32DA
4. https://patch.com/connecticut/ellington-somers/charges-filed-stolen-firearms-case-involving-ellington-cars
5. https://www.thetrace.org/2016/09/stolen-guns-cars-trucks-us-atlanta/

 

Senator Anwar Releases Statement Supporting Senate Approval Of Asbestos Ban

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Senator Anwar Releases Statement Supporting Senate Approval Of Asbestos Ban

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Saud Anwar (D-South Windsor) issued the following statement after the Senate passed legislation prohibiting the sale of goods and use of building materials containing asbestos.

“At the federal level, we have noticed we are dialing back on well-recognized Environmental Protection Agency standards on asbestos,” said Sen. Anwar. “This is a highly concerning action that the current federal administration has taken. It will result in long-term health issues for Americans around the country. I am glad that today, Connecticut strengthened its asbestos ban and will not let federal plans negatively impact our state. As a physician, I have seen many patients with cancers directly linked with asbestos, including primary lung cancers and mesotheliomas, as well as severe lung diseases including asbestosis. I am honored to co-sponsor this bill and vote to move this bill to the House and subsequently for the governor to sign.”

 

Senator Winfield Leads Senate Passage Of Three Bills Improving Gun Safety

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Senator Winfield Leads Senate Passage Of Three Bills Improving Gun Safety

HARTFORD, CT – Today, after hours of debate, State Senator Gary Winfield (D-New Haven), Senate chair of the Judiciary Committee, led passage of three bills that would enhance gun safety across Connecticut. These bills would require guns to be stored in locked containers in homes with minors, prohibit the manufacturing of firearms without serial numbers and “ghost guns,” and require pistols and firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be locked and secured.

“Gun violence plagues our communities regardless of borders across our state and across the country,” said Senator Winfield. “When firearms are easily accessible to children or individuals who are not properly trained, accidents can occur. Unfortunately, we know this happens far too often.”

“No family should have to go through the pain that the Song family has endured,” continued Senator Winfield. “I commend the family for their courage and advocacy on this issue in memory of their son Ethan. The emotion of the issue initiates the conversation. But how we get here is through debate, through concern for the law, through the processes in place to move any law. At the end of the day, the bill that passed brings us to a place where we are in a better place than where we started.”

Ethan’s
Law

Current
state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and
unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety.

This
bill is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was shot with an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was improperly
stored.

According
to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard
School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.1

Ghost
Guns

The
rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about
three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two
individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.2

House
Bill No. 7219 prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame
or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The
law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution
for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this
month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.3

Safe
Storage in Cars

House
Bill No. 7223 concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with
further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This
law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.4

This
legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee,
a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just
this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.5

Sources
1. https://www.hsph.harvard.edu/means-matter/means-matter/risk/
2. https://www.thetrace.org/2019/05/ghost-gun-california-crime/
3. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-new-jersey-ghost-guns-lawsuit/new-jersey-sues-company-over-illegal-ghost-gun-sales-idUSKCN1R32DA
4. https://patch.com/connecticut/ellington-somers/charges-filed-stolen-firearms-case-involving-ellington-cars
5. https://www.thetrace.org/2016/09/stolen-guns-cars-trucks-us-atlanta/

Senator Looney Praises Senate Passage Of Three Bills Improving Gun Safety

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Senator Looney Praises Senate Passage
Of Three Bills Improving Gun Safety

HARTFORD,
CT – Today, Senate President
Pro Tempore Martin Looney (D-New Haven), applauded
the passage of three bills that would enhance gun safety across Connecticut. These bills would require guns to be stored in locked containers in homes with minors, prohibit the manufacturing of firearms without serial numbers and “ghost guns,” and require
pistols and firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be locked and secured.

“Common
sense gun laws work,” said Senator
Looney. “The rate of gun deaths in Connecticut
is 5.1 deaths a year for every 100,000 people. That is less than half of the national average, which is 11.9 deaths for every 100,000 people. Leading on this issue, as Connecticut has done and continues to do, saves lives. I’m pleased that the Senate has joined
the House of Representatives in passing these bills, and we have taken a greater step toward protecting our children, family, and friends from senseless gun violence.”

Ethan’s Law

Current state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm, loaded or unloaded, a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety. HB 7218 passed by a 34-2 vote.

Ethan’s Law, House Bill 7218 (HB 7218), is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was accidentally killed by an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was stored.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.

Ghost Guns

The rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.

House Bill No. 7219, which passed 28-7, prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.

Safe Storage in Cars

House Bill No. 7223, which passed 20-15, concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.

This legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee, a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.

 

Senator Maroney Strongly Supports State Senate Passage of Ethan’s Law and Two Other Gun Safety Bills

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Senator Maroney Strongly Supports State Senate
Passage of Ethan’s Law and Two Other Gun Safety Bills

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator James Maroney (D-Milford) strongly supported legislation that will improve gun safety across Connecticut. On Thursday, the Senate advanced three bills that would require guns to be stored in locked containers in homes with minors, prohibit the manufacturing of firearms without serial numbers and “ghost guns,” and require pistols and firearms in unattended motor vehicles to be locked and secured.

“Getting unmarked and unregistered firearms off our streets and making sure firearms are stored safely so minors do not have access to them is common sense legislation that will make our state safer for everyone,” said Sen. Maroney. “I strongly support this legislation and applaud the courage of Ethan Song’s parents, Kristin and Mike, for advocating for better gun safety laws in Connecticut.”

Ghost Guns

The rise of 3D printing and new technological possibilities has also led to the rise of untraceable handguns. With current kits available online, anyone, including those legally unable to possess guns, can make their own firearm with no serial number in about three hours out of a combination of plastic parts and metal parts. These guns have been seized in Connecticut towns including Torrington, Ridgefield and Waterbury and were used in California mass shootings in 2013 and 2017. In both California shootings, two individuals who could not legally own firearms each killed five people with “ghost guns” utilizing custom-made parts.

House Bill No. 7219, which passed 28-7, prohibits manufacturing a firearm without a serial number, manufacturing a plastic gun that can pass through security measures if its grips, stocks and magazines are taken off, and possessing, receiving or transferring an unfinished firearm frame or lower receiver lacking a serial number. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection would need to issue serial numbers for those parts.

The law provides exemptions for firearms produced by federally licensed manufacturers, antique firearms and firearms made before October 1, 2019 provided they are lawfully possessed. First-time offenses are class C felonies, but courts can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders if the violations are not serious and an offender is not likely to violate the law further. California and New Jersey previously passed similar legislation; New York and Washington state put “ghost gun” bans into place earlier this month. New Jersey’s law has seen success; at least 15 “ghost gun” companies ended sales in that state since it was enacted.

Ethan’s Law

Current state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm, loaded or unloaded, a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety. HB 7218 passed by a 34-2 vote.

Ethan’s Law, House Bill 7218 (HB 7218), is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was accidentally killed by an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was stored.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.

Safe Storage in Cars

House Bill No. 7223, which passed 20-15, concerns safe storage of firearms in cars and would prohibit storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle, unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box or a locked safe. It would make first-time offenses class A misdemeanors with further offenses being class D felonies. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive exemptions, and the court can suspend prosecution for first-time offenders found unlikely to violate the law again.

This law comes as many cities in the United States see rising numbers of gun thefts from cars, seeing year-to-year increases of up to 40 percent; Atlanta sees up to 70 percent of all reported gun thefts being guns stolen from cars.

This legislation can reduce the up to 600,000 guns stolen each year and reduce the number of illegal guns on streets, also preventing tragedies. In Florida, a pistol stolen from an unlocked vehicle in 2014 was used to kill a police officer later that year; in Tennessee, a handgun stolen from a car in 1994 was traced to the murder of a teenage girl in Nashville in 2015.

Just this week, a Hartford man was indicted for stealing firearms from vehicles in Newington and Ellington, then selling those guns to other individuals.

Senator Needleman Takes Stand With Senate To Pass ‘Ethan’s Law’

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Senator Needleman Takes Stand With Senate To Pass ‘Ethan’s Law’

HARTFORD, CT – Today, State Senator Norm Needleman (D-Essex) took a stand with his colleagues on the Senate floor, voting to approve “Ethan’s Law.” The Senate advanced the key bill that would require guns in homes with minors to be stored in locked containers.

“With this legislation, we honor the memory of Ethan Song and the hard work of his parents,” said Sen. Needleman. “After Ethan’s tragic loss last year, this legislation will work to save lives, keeping firearms away from children and teenagers. Any life lost to an unsecured gun is one too many. With this legislation, we will save lives.”

Current state law requires gun owners to secure loaded guns in locked containers if a minor under the age of 16 lives in their home. House Bill No. 7218, commonly referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” strengthens that law by requiring safe storage for all guns – loaded and unloaded – and additionally increases the age restriction from 16 years old to 18 years old. The legislation further makes negligent storage of a firearm a Class D felony and requires the Connecticut Board of Education to develop a K-12 guide on gun safety.

This bill is named for Ethan Song, a 15-year-old from Guilford who died in 2018 when he was shot with an improperly stored gun at a friend’s house. The gun’s owner could not be prosecuted in relation to Song’s death because the gun was not loaded when it was improperly stored. The Song family was in the Senate chamber Thursday afternoon to watch the bill’s passage.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, in 2017, at least 2,696 children and adolescents were unintentionally shot after a gun was improperly stored; more than 100 were killed. Another 1,100 children took their own lives, many with unsecured firearms. The Harvard School of Public Health found that adolescents who die by suicide are twice as likely to have access to a gun at home than those who survive suicide attempts.

Caption: The family of Ethan Song embraces and celebrates with State Senator Christine Cohen Thursday after the Senate voted to approve ‘Ethan’s Law’ by a vote of 34-2.