HARTFORD, Conn. -- The end of the national ban on
assault weapons will leave Connecticut as one of seven states where those
guns will remain illegal.
And gun rights advocates don't expect that to change soon.
"Nothing is going to change here in Connecticut and I don't perceive
anybody going after the legislature in trying to get rid of the law this
year," said Robert Crook, executive director of the Coalition of
Connecticut Sportsmen.
"Maybe next year, maybe the year after, we'll make an effort to get
rid of it," Crook said.
Connecticut and Massachusetts are the only two New England states with an
assault weapons ban on place. [7 States nationally]
The 1994 federal ban, signed by President Clinton, outlawed 19 types of
military-style assault weapons. A clause directed that the ban expire
unless Congress specifically reauthorized it, which it did not.
Connecticut passed its own law in 1993. It defined assault weapons and
listed semiautomatic firearms that were illegal to sell, transport or
possess in the state. It banned future sales of 63 types of military style
weapons. The state law also banned someone from using a combination of
parts to convert a firearm into an assault weapon.
Attorney General Richard Blumenthal said Connecticut
lawmakers need to renew their resolve to support the state ban.
"Our state must now commit to continued, even stronger enforcement of
our assault weapons ban," Blumenthal said. "We can no longer
count on our federal agencies to assist us."
U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-Conn., was among those members
of Congress who Monday called for the federal ban to be reauthorized.
"Right now we have the Federal government recalling the Super Soaker
toy gun at the same time we are within hours of letting assault weapons
back on our streets," said DeLauro, during a news conference on
Capitol Hill. "The mere notion that we would again legalize these
guns is outrageous."
Rep. Christopher Shays, R-Conn., criticized his
Republican leaders for refusing to allow the House to debate the ban.
"I am deeply disappointed supporters of the ban in Congress have not
been given the chance to express the will of their constituents in an
up-or-down vote on the House floor," said Shays.
State Rep. Michael Lawlor, D-West Haven, co-chairman of
the legislature's Judiciary Committee, who helped write the 1993 state
legislation [Copied almost verbatim from the California AW bill],
criticized President Bush and Congress for not renewing the ban. He said
they should be working to strengthen the law and make it permanent.
"These weapons serve no legitimate civilian or hunting purpose and
Connecticut did the right thing by implementing its own law," Lawlor
said.
But Crook said the Connecticut law has had little effect, and has been a
burden for police. Crook said there have only been about a dozen
prosecutions since 1993, resulting in two convictions. He credits the
reduction of gang activity, not the state ban, with the reduction of
assault weapon use on Connecticut's streets.
Some manufacturers of assault weapons have made cosmetic changes to their
guns and were able to circumvent the ban, he said.
Crook said the state ban has mostly been "an affront" to the
intelligence of gun owners, some of whom like to collect assault weapons
or use semiautomatic firearms for target shooting.
"It precludes him from buying an item that he wants," Crook
said. "Some people compare it to - you can buy a Ford, but you can't
buy a Corvette."
http://www.stamfordadvocate.com/news/local/state/hc-13174356.apds.m0582.bc-ct--assasep13,0,7506696.story?coll=hc-headlines-local-wire
