Senator Witkos Discusses Public Safety Proposals [WFSB]
March 20, 2013Article as it appeared on the WFSB website on March 19, 2013
Committee passes gun control proposals
By Susan Raff
HARTFORD, CT (WFSB) – Members of the Connecticut General Assembly Public Safety Committee supported a number of bills on gun control.
The committee passed the following bills:
- Criminal background checks for all private gun sales
- Fees for those criminal background checks
- Local and state police must be notified about guns shows
State Sen. Kevin Witkos, who is a member of the public safety committee, said “everyone had consensus” on the bills that passed Tuesday.
“It’s almost a no-brainer to have universal background checks on all firearms purchases,” he said.
However, more controversial gun proposals remain on the table, which were all put forth after the tragedy at Sandy Hook.
Bill 1076 would change the features on military-style weapons as well as allow the state to take away guns with ammunition magazines of more than 10 rounds
Stag Arms in New Britain makes AR-15s and is trying to prevent the bill from passing. Officials with the company said they have already modified a version for Connecticut and they said further charges would make the gun impossible to sell.
“I think legislators are just doing everything that they feel from a gun control standpoint that they have wanted to do for years,” said Jake McGuian of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. “They’ve had these pieces of legislation and unfortunately had a situation like the tragedy in Newtown they use to further this agenda.”
Since the tragedy at Sandy Hook, there have been numerous gun proposals.
Leaders from both parties have been meeting privately to hammer out a deal. There is word that a vote on several of the bills could take place next week.