Sampson & Markley Call on DESPP to Extend Weapon Registration Deadline

Line at State Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection taken today, courtesy or Rep. Rob Sampson.

State Senator Joe Markley (R-Southington) and State Representative Rob Sampson (R-Wolcott) have petitioned the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection Commissioner Reuben Bradford to extend the January 1, 2014 registration and declaration cut-off date for weapons that will be categorized as assault rifles under legislation passed this year by the Connecticut General Assembly.
The Senator and Representative have been hearing from constituents across the state confused over what firearms need to be registered and what forms to use with growing concern the average citizens will become felons in two short days without properly registering or declaring their guns or magazines.

“This is just a continued example how this negligent piece of legislation is continually harming law-abiding citizens. The lawful gun owners in our state are trying desperately to follow the letter of the law, but there are certain parts that are vague and extremely subjective,” Sampson said.

“We’re calling on the Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection to continue protecting those Connecticut citizens doing all they can to stay compliant with the law,” Markley added.

The Connecticut State Legislature passed what has become known as the “gun bill” in early April and the confusion has only increased over time. In an effort to clarify the original bill and make it clearer, the legislature passed a “fix it bill” in June, but that bill did little to help the matter. DESPP has continually tried to understand the law themselves in an effort to be ready for the 1/1/14 deadline and has imposed several recent policy changes.

“If the federal government keeps extending the Obamacare deadlines and the State of Connecticut continually lengthens the Access Health deadlines to work out the bugs of the legislation, we think it’s only right that DESPP do the same thing. Instead of offering policy changes in the 11th hour, they should make an effort to allow law abiding citizens to understand the law and all the policy changes prior to registering and declaring,” Sampson stated.