Posted on 02/04/2008 4:09:30 PM PST by LurkedLongEnough
The Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence ranks Connecticut in third place among states with the toughest gun laws in the nation.
And while the Constitution State achieved 54 points out of a possible 100, a statewide organization says the Brady scorecard fails to give Connecticut credit for having a law no other state has to confiscate guns.
"Connecticut has a unique law on its books, a law that several other states are now considering," said Lisa Labella, co-executive director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence in Trumbull.
"The law allows police to apply for warrants to seize guns from the possession of people who pose a threat to themselves or others."
At least 47 police departments, along with Connecticut State Police, applied for 155 warrants to take guns between Oct. 1, 1999, and May 1, 2006, according to the state Office of Legislative Research. They ultimately seized 1,200 firearms.
Judges approved the police departments' requests in all but two cases.
Under the state law, the first of its kind in the nation, police can seek a warrant if their investigation reveals a person poses an "imminent risk of harm" and they believe there is no alternative to confiscation to avert the threat.
The law also requires judges to hold hearings within 14 days of that seizure to determine whether to return the guns or hold them up to one year.
Most of the cases, according to Judicial Branch records, involved men who threatened to kill themselves, their neighbors or people they lived with.
California came in first place with the strongest gun laws under the Brady scorecard, raking in 79 of a possible 100 points.
Part of what put that state in the top spot was a bill signed into law by Gov. Arnold Schwarzennager that requires gun manufacturers to microstamp the firing pin of their weapons.
That way, when the pistol discharges a spent shell, the casing bears a unique mark that allows the shell to be traced to the weapon and its last bona fide owner.
Connecticut tied with Massachusetts and New Jersey in third place.
Doug Pennington, a spokesman for the Brady Campaign, a nonpartisan anti-gun-violence organization, said he was pleased with the ranks overall.
They "are reflective" of what the states have accomplished by passing stricter gun laws, he said. As for Connecticut, "third place is fine. But there is a lot of room for improvement."
The Brady scorecard awards points spread over five categories of laws: those aimed at curbing firearm trafficking, strengthening background checks, child safety efforts, banning military-style assault weapons, and making it tougher to carry guns in public.
In the coming legislative session, Labella said Connecticut Against Gun Violence will back a bill similar to California's microstamp law. In addition, her group will endorse a bill that "closes a loophole with rifles and shotgun" transfers.
"The way the law works now, a firearms dealer is required to conduct a background check on the purchaser of a rifle or shotgun. But it's optional whether they transmit that information to the state Department of Public Safety.
"Some firearms dealers do. Others don't," Labella said. "It's only seven lines of data in all. In fact, there's less information involved in selling a long gun than there is in selling your car."
Connecticut Against Gun Violence also supports background checks on all private sales of long guns. While firearms dealers at gun shows are required to conduct such probes, "I as an individual can go out into a parking lot and sell you a long gun," Labella said, "and no background check would be required."
That, she added, does not make sense.
Bridgeport Mayor Bill Finch, a former state legislator, praised Connecticut's ranking while stressing the need to do more to remove guns from criminals and those not suitable to have them.
"This is an issue I am very passionate about, from the gun lock give-away program that I initiated as a city councilman, to the assault-weapon ban passed by the General Assembly," Finch said through his spokeswoman, Kaitlin Lesnick.
"According to the Brady scorecard, Connecticut is doing well, but there is room for improvement. Strengthening neighborhood policing will help to control illegal guns."
Yep! financially backed, re-engineered and distributed by the Springfield Armory company here in the U.S. Can't get away from the international flavor even when you buy a Pontiac and discover the 3800 engine came from China!
I like it, it is about done this year.
http://www.weather.gov/data/obhistory/KAMA.html
71 degrees today at 16:53 local time.......:o)
Snik, 4-6 inches forecast after Midnight and all day tomorrow.
That title is quite misleading.
I think souther CO is supposed to get some pretty good snow. This global warming is a bitch....
True.
Well, from this and other posts tonight, it appears the criminal fascist syndicate occupying Washington is about to declare war on everyone who’s not them. We’ll see how it turns out.
‘Buy a gun with your refund?’
What a great idea. I’ll take it one step further, and look for the meanest, nastiest black rifle I can find for the money, just because I still can. An AK put together on an American receiver complete with underfolding stock, flash hider, bayonet lug, and high capacity magazine can be had for under $500!
Err... I moved from NJ to CT for work reasons. CT isn’t exactly Texas, but it’s heads and shoulders above NJ from a gun-right’s proponent’s point-of-view.
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