Lawmakers in Connecticut have passed a bill that will allow law enforcement agencies to confiscate firearms from citizens who have been only accused of domestic abuse, not actually convicted. The bill is being called unconstitutional because an individual only needs to be accused, not convicted, of domestic abuse for their weapons to be confiscated.
In this bill they are guilty until proven innocent, not innocent until proven guilty which is the entire basis of our entire American legal system.
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The bill was approved 23-13 after a nearly three hour debate. Republican lawmakers unsuccessfully tried to amend the bill three times during that three hour debate. The bill requires anyone who is placed under a temporary restraining order to hand their guns over to the local police within 24 hours. The new bill also requires a hearing to determine whether or not a full restraining order will be issued to take place within seven days of the temporary order being issued.
The new law’s supporters state that it will provide safety and security for domestic abuse victims. Opponents of the law are calling it a violation of a citizen’s second amendment rights. Scott Wilson, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, a gun-rights advocacy group voiced his concerns about the law to the Wall Street Journal:
It is nothing but a backdoor method to force the surrender of firearms with no opportunity for a respondent of such an order to be heard prior to any surrender of legal property
Citizens forced to hand their weapons over due to a temporary restraining order will have their weapons returned to them when the order expires. Citizens that are placed under full restraining orders will have their weapons when the order expires or is rescinded.
Do you think the new law is unconstitutional? Share your thoughts in the comment section!
