Connecticut enacted the most comprehensive gun control laws since the Sandy Hook shooting, including banning open carry of firearms and limiting the sale of handguns.
Key Changes: The new law, effective from Sunday, prohibits the open carrying of firearms and limits the sale of handguns to any individual within a thirty-day period.
* Certain exceptions apply for instructors and others.
* The law also bolsters bail and probation rules for a narrow bracket of repeated serious gun offenders, broadens Connecticut’s existing assault weapons ban, increases penalties for possession of high-capacity magazines, expands safe-storage rules, and includes more domestic violence crimes in the disqualification list for gun ownership.
Opposition and Legal Challenges: The law has faced immediate legal challenges, particularly from gun rights advocates who consider it an infringement of Second Amendment rights.
* Similar laws in progressive states like California, Washington, Colorado and Maryland are also facing litigation.
* Gun rights supporters in Connecticut rallied on the last day of permitted visible firearm carry, hopeful of the law’s eventual overturning in court.
Future Plans: Despite the new law, further measures to curb gun violence are being considered.
* These include stricter limits on monthly gun purchases and the inclusion of microlabeling or ammunition micro-stamping to aid law enforcement in tracing bullet casings to specific firearms.
* Connecticut’s Governor Ned Lamont expressed interest in collaborating with other North-eastern governors to draft similar laws, highlighting the fast-changing nature of firearms technology.
Reactions and Criticisms: The law has received mixed reactions, with some expressing approval, while others, especially from the Republican party, countered allegations of safety due to these laws.
* Jeremy Stein, executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence, voiced his support for the ongoing push for additional gun control laws.
* Conversely, House Minority Leader Vincent Candelora criticized Democrats for holding press conferences about the safety in Connecticut, instead of addressing issues like carjackings, serious property crimes, and other acts of violence within their districts.
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