WATERBURY, Conn. (WTNH) — Gov. Ned. Lamont (D-Conn.) unveiled legislative proposals to eliminate gun violence in Connecticut at a press conference Monday morning at the Waterbury Police Department.
Surrounded by lawmakers, members of law enforcement, state representatives, and mayors of Waterbury, New Haven, and Bridgeport, the governor rolled out what he said would be the first in a series of proposals.
The first proposal includes the following:
- Spending an additional $2.5 million on community violence intervention programs;
- Banning the open carry of guns in public while continuing to allow concealed carry permits in specific locations;
- Limiting handgun purchases to one per month to discourage straw purchases; and
- Toughening the state’s ban on so-called ghost guns, which do not have serial numbers and make them nearly impossible to track.
“I can tell you, the number one issue for urban mayors is guns and gun violence,” Waterbury Mayor Neil O’Leary said.
Waterbury Representative Geraldo Reyes says kids that look like him are the ones who are dying.
“Black and brown communities are being greatly affected,” Reyes said.
The mayors want to stop the iron pipeline of illegal guns flooding into our state.
“You seen guns coming in and traded for drugs,” Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin said.
Hunters would still be allowed to buy multiple shotguns and long guns at one time. Republican lawmakers say law-abiding gun owners are being targeted yet again.
“Some people think that this is the panacea for all the crime that’s going on in the cities,” said State Rep. Craig Fishbein. “It certainly isn’t.”
Fishbein says laws already require gun owners to report any stolen weapons to the police within 72 hours.
“One of the forms you have to do, question number one, ‘are you buying this gun for you?’ Okay. Transferring a firearm in Connecticut without authorization by the state police is a felony. Okay, so it’s already illegal,” Fishbein said.
During our News 8 governor’s debate two months ago, Lamont mentioned banning assault rifles. That was not part of Monday’s proposal.
The governor said he would present these proposals to the Connecticut General Assembly in February and that more gun law proposals would come in the coming days.
