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HARTFORD, Conn. -- State lawmakers havedropped language from a firearms safety bill that would have required the buyers of rifles, not just handguns, to get permits for their purchases.
The safety bill would mandate that people report any stolen or missing guns, in order to better track firearms in Connecticut.
The legislature's Judiciary Committee decided to scrap the rifle registration language from the bill to concentrate on passing a law on stolen or missing guns, said state Rep. Robert Farr, R-West Hartford, a member of the committee.
"That's the really important issue. It will give law enforcement an additional tool to track firearms," he said on Monday. "Most of the guns used in crimes had been bought legally but then are taken and used in crimes. The proposal about registering all firearms is a little more difficult an issue."
Gun control advocates, who spoke in favor of the registration requirement at the Capitol earlier this month, said they will continue to push for passage of laws requiring permits for rifles, shotguns and other long guns.
"We'll come back for the registration, because it's a gaping loophole in our gun laws," said Lisa Labella, director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence, a Fairfield group.
The amended bill will go to the House of Representatives, then be referred to the legislature's Public Safety Committee for further review. A similar bill requiring reporting of missing weapons died last year in the legislature.
Under the revised bill, anyone who fails to report a stolen or missing firearm within 72 hours after the person "knew or should have known of such theft or loss" could be fined up to $500.
People found to have deliberately broken this law could be charged with a misdemeanor for first offense and a felony for subsequent offense.
The proposal also requires anyone who trades or sells more than 10 guns a year to get a special temporary state sales permit from local police.
Sellers must keep accurate records of all sales for at least six years.
The proposal has an exception for gun owners who collect for a hobby or people who sell all or part of a gun collection.
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Information: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com
The safety bill would mandate that people report any stolen or missing guns, in order to better track firearms in Connecticut.
The legislature's Judiciary Committee decided to scrap the rifle registration language from the bill to concentrate on passing a law on stolen or missing guns, said state Rep. Robert Farr, R-West Hartford, a member of the committee.
"That's the really important issue. It will give law enforcement an additional tool to track firearms," he said on Monday. "Most of the guns used in crimes had been bought legally but then are taken and used in crimes. The proposal about registering all firearms is a little more difficult an issue."
Gun control advocates, who spoke in favor of the registration requirement at the Capitol earlier this month, said they will continue to push for passage of laws requiring permits for rifles, shotguns and other long guns.
"We'll come back for the registration, because it's a gaping loophole in our gun laws," said Lisa Labella, director of Connecticut Against Gun Violence, a Fairfield group.
The amended bill will go to the House of Representatives, then be referred to the legislature's Public Safety Committee for further review. A similar bill requiring reporting of missing weapons died last year in the legislature.
Under the revised bill, anyone who fails to report a stolen or missing firearm within 72 hours after the person "knew or should have known of such theft or loss" could be fined up to $500.
People found to have deliberately broken this law could be charged with a misdemeanor for first offense and a felony for subsequent offense.
The proposal also requires anyone who trades or sells more than 10 guns a year to get a special temporary state sales permit from local police.
Sellers must keep accurate records of all sales for at least six years.
The proposal has an exception for gun owners who collect for a hobby or people who sell all or part of a gun collection.
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Information: The Hartford Courant, http://www.courant.com
