Gov. Ned Lamont, joined by advocates and legislators Friday on National Gun Violence Awareness Day, held a bill signing ceremony, passing two new state laws promoting gun safety, including the banning of untraceable “ghost guns” and improving firearm storage in motor vehicles, according to a press release from his office.
Ghost guns are firearms without serial numbers, because they are commonly sold in parts and can be assembled at home, and are not required by current law to have a serial number, the release said.
Due to their assembly from parts, they aren’t recorded as a gun sale, the release said, making them impossible to trace.
Public Act 19-6, will prohibit anyone from manufacturing a firearm without subsequently obtaining and engraving or permanently affixing on it a unique serial number or other identification mark provided by the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, the release said.
The second bill, Public Act 19-7, addresses instances of gun thefts from motor vehicles. According to the release, the law prohibits storing a pistol in an unattended motor vehicle unless that pistol is in the trunk, a locked glove box, or a locked safe. It makes first-time offenses a class A misdemeanor and subsequent offenses a class D felony. Law enforcement and certain security personnel receive are exempt from these requirements, the release said.
“The overwhelming majority of Connecticut residents want us to close the gaping loopholes that allow guns to get into the wrong hands, and any measure that encourages safe gun storage to help keep children, residents, and families safe is an action I will always support,” Lamont said in the release.
“But I must stress – gun violence prevention laws only go so far without the support of our federal government. In our country, we have a patchwork of gun laws in each individual state – and as they say, we are only as strong as our weakest link. For the safety of our communities, we must demand federal action on this issue.”
The release said Lamont thanked the work of Judiciary co-chairs State Senator Gary Winfield and State Representative Steven Stafstrom, as well as legislative leadership and advocacy groups who whose voices helped lead passage of these bills. “With the passage of these two measures the State of Connecticut continues to lead the nation on gun safety,” Lt. Gov. Susan Bysiewicz said. “Research shows that states with strong gun safety laws have fewer deaths from gun violence. We are making the necessary strides in protecting our citizens and preventing gun violence. We hope that our stand here will implore other states – and even the federal government – to act as we have done and make these gun violence prevention laws the standard everywhere.”
“We applaud Gov.Lamont for making history in Connecticut by signing three necessary gun violence prevention bills into law,” Jeremy Stein, Executive Director of CT Against Gun Violence, said in the release. “We thank the governor, our coalition partners and volunteers for their dedication to fighting for a safer Connecticut. We are proud that Connecticut continues to lead the way with strong gun laws that will reduce gun violence and save lives.”
The new laws take effect October 1.
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© 2019 Norwich Bulletin, Conn.
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