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The following letter was sent to all five Representatives from Connecticut.


The Honorable John B. Larson
1005 Longworth House Office Bldg.
Washington, D.C. 20515
October 19, 2011

Dear Representative Larson:

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut requests that you oppose H.R. 822, The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011.   The League supports protection of the health and safety of citizens through regulation of ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons.  The League believes that careful regulation and licensing procedures are essential for consumer safety. 

Under H.R. 822, a state’s laws about who can be licensed and carry concealed weapons would not apply.   The law would require the states to recognize each other’s carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses.  H.R. 822 is unacceptable to the LWVCT, because it would conflict with and undermine current Connecticut permit and licensing gun laws. As you are aware, your state of Connecticut has some of the most stringent gun laws in the country, including a suitability standard, and these laws have broad public support within the state.

Connecticut is a “May-Issue” state, and its law enforcement agencies are not required by law to issue permits to carry handguns to those who are not considered to be suitable persons to possess or carry a handgun. Other states that are “Shall-Issue” or worse still “Unrestricted” have no such provisions, and their citizens would be permitted to carry concealed weapons into our state with no input from law enforcement agents anywhere. Therefore, the possibility exists that some of those visitors with concealed weapons would have been denied a permit if they were Connecticut residents.

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut and its more than 1,800 members strongly urge you to vote against H.R. 822 because it would conflict with Connecticut’s laws for issuing gun permits for the protection of its citizens and would set a dangerous precedent.   Thank you for considering this request. 

Sincerely,
Naomi Schiff Myers & Alison Rivard
Co-Directors, Social Policy
                                                                                   
The following letter was sent to both Senators from Connecticut.

The Honorable Joseph Lieberman
1 Constitution Plaza, 7th Floor
Hartford, CT  06103
Fax:  (866) 317-2242
October 21, 2011

Dear Senator Lieberman:

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut requests that you oppose any legislation that incorporates The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act of 2011 (H.R. 822). We vigorously oppose legislation that would allow non-residents who have not met Connecticut’s licensing requirements to carry concealed guns into our state. The League supports protection of the health and safety of citizens through regulation of ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. The League believes that careful regulation and licensing procedures are essential for public safety.

Under H.R. 822, a state’s laws about who can be licensed and carry concealed weapons would not apply. The law would require the states to recognize each other’s carry permits, just as they recognize drivers’ licenses. HR 822 is unacceptable to the LWVCT, because it would conflict with and undermine current Connecticut permit and licensing gun laws. As you are aware, our state of Connecticut has some of the most stringent gun laws in the country, including a suitability standard. These laws have broad public support within the state.

Connecticut is a “May-Issue” state, and its law enforcement agencies are not required by law to issue permits to carry handguns to those who are not considered to be suitable persons to possess or carry a handgun. Other states that are “Shall-Issue” or worse still “Unrestricted” have no such provisions, and their citizens would be permitted to carry concealed weapons into our state with no input from law enforcement agents anywhere. Therefore, the possibility exists that some visitors with concealed weapons would have been denied a permit if they were Connecticut residents.

The League of Women Voters of Connecticut and its more than 1800 members strongly urge you to vote against The National Right-to-Carry Reciprocity Act or any attempt to attach its provisions as an amendment to another bill. The National Right–to-Carry Reciprocity Act would conflict with Connecticut’s laws for issuing gun permits for the protection of its citizens and would set a dangerous precedent. Thank you for considering this request.

Sincerely,
Naomi Schiff Myers & Alison Rivard
Co-Directors, Social Policy
 
 
CGA Judiciary Committee:  Public Hearing March 23, 2011
Comments Submitted by Susan McCalley, Gun Law Specialist, League of Women Voters of Connecticut
Support For S.B. 1094 AA BANNING LARGE CAPACITY AMMUNITION MAGAZINES
Oppose S.B. 1210 AAC The Use of Deadly Force to Defend the Residents of a Home

My name is Susan McCalley.  I am the Gun Law Specialist for the League of Women Voters of Connecticut.  On behalf of the League, I would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity to comment upon the bills that are before the Committee today.

The LWVCT supports S.B 1094 An Act Banning Large Capacity Ammunition Magazines (LCAMs).  The League is in favor of measures to protect the health and safety of citizens through limiting the accessibility and regulating the ownership of handguns and semi-automatic weapons. We supportS.B. 1094 because it would outlaw the sale and possession of LCAMs in our state, provisions which should have been included in the assault weapons ban that was passed in CT in the 90s, when seven other states DID include this LCAM ban in their assault weapons ban laws.  This is unfinished business that will make Connecticut citizens safer from gun violence, which is the goal of the LWVCT gun law position.  The LCAM ban was also included in the federal assault weapons ban that was in effect between 1994 and 2004. The effectiveness of such an LCAM ban can be seen in its absence after the federal assault weapons ban was not renewed in 2004. In the following year, states such as Virginia saw a 24% increase in recovered firearms with LCAMs, endangering law enforcement and citizens alike.  Detailed evidence for opposition to LCAMs is found in the testimony of Connecticut Against Gun Violence presented here today, which I will not enumerate in the interest of time and redundancy. (Instead, please see CAGV testimony by Ron Pinciaro, Executive Director).  What is important to remember is that LCAMs increase the lethality of gun violence as we saw in the Manchester workplace shootings here in our state as well as the Tucson shootings in January this year and many others. Seventy percent of Americans polled just before the 2004 rejection of the renewal of the assault weapons ban favored continuing the ban on LCAMs.

The League opposes S.B. 1210 An Act Concerning the Use of Deadly Physical Force to Defend the Residents of a Home.  The League supports the active role of government in preventing violent behavior.

S.B. 1210 would put into state statutes the theory of home defense, which endangers public safety by allowing a homeowner to be the sole judge of any perceived threat to his property.  In Connecticut this stands in conflict with our existing law that allows law enforcement, under strict conditions, to remove firearms from individuals who threaten others with violence, whether they are in their homes or elsewhere.   This law would endanger state citizens with gun violence, who would be at the whim of homeowners who perceive a threat where none may very well exist.  This bill should not become law.

Thank you again for the opportunity to comment.

League of Women Voters of Connecticut · 1890 Dixwell Avenue-Ste 203 Hamden, CT 06514 · 203/288-7996