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H.B. 5298 Proposal |
COALITION OF CONNECTICUT SPORTSMEN P.O. Box 2506, Hartford, CT 06146, (203) 245-8076
www.ctsportsmen.com
Testimony presented to the Public
Safety Committee (2/19/02)
IN SUPPORT of
H.B.
No. 5298 (RAISED) PUBLIC SAFETY. 'AN ACT MODIFYING THE
GROUNDS FOR REFUSAL TO ISSUE PERMITS TO CARRY A PISTOL OR REVOLVER'
By Robert T. Crook, Director
This bill will eliminate the unlimited period
within which convictions of certain misdemeanors constitute grounds for refusal
to issue a permit or revoke current permits to carry a pistol or revolver. It
proposes to authorize permit rejection or revocation for convictions of those
misdemeanors only within the preceding five years.
When this bill passed we opposed it testifying it
was not needed based upon the issuing authority's ability to reject for these
offenses on "suitability" criteria. Suitability allows the issuing
authority to reject or revoke for virtually anything, subject to appeal. All of
the permits revoked had been previously reviewed and approved under suitability
by the Issuing Authority/Chief of Police having judged the convictions as not
disqualifying. This law, in effect, has lessened the issuing authority's
judgment and authority.
The current law is a continuing penalty for those
who have paid their debt to society for minor offenses and have been
rehabilitated. We would prefer to eliminate this law entirely, since it is
already covered under suitability. Elimination of the entire statute or this
proposal will not preclude the Issuing Authority from rejecting/revoking permits
under suitability criteria, subject to appeal.
The 5-year period is not the best solution but is a
reasonable baseline time frame to replace one undefined.
We urge SUPPORT and passage.
Sec.
21a-279. Penalty for illegal
possession. Alternative sentences.
Sec.
53a-58. Criminally negligent homicide: Class A misdemeanor.
Sec.
53a-61. Assault in the third degree: Class A misdemeanor.
Sec. 53a-61a. Assault of an elderly, blind, disabled, pregnant or mentally
retarded person in the third degree: Class A misdemeanor:
Sec.
53a-62. Threatening: Class A misdemeanor.
Sec.
53a-63. Reckless endangerment in the first degree: Class A misdemeanor.
Sec.
53a-96. Unlawful restraint in the second degree: Class A misdemeanor
Sec.
53a-175. Riot in the first degree: Class A misdemeanor.
Sec.
53a-176. Riot in the second degree: Class B misdemeanor.
Sec.
53a-178. Inciting to riot: Class A misdemeanor
Sec. 53a-181d. Stalking in the second degree: Class A misdemeanor.