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“Bump stocks are cheap, they are deadly, and they have no place in our society,” Malloy said. The device, known as a "rate of fire enhancement," was used by the gunman in the deadly mass shooting in Las Vegas that killed over 500 people.
“In Connecticut, we refuse to allow federal inaction to endanger the lives of our residents, despite the best efforts of powerful lobbyists from the NRA," Malloy said. "Our state has long been a champion in the fight against gun violence, and today we take a step towards further cementing our reputation as a leader in smart, safe, and commonsense gun reform.”
A bump stock is a device that can be attached to a rifle to allow a shooter to fire more quickly.
“I don’t think we should wait for more tragedy, for more senseless deaths before we act to protect residents,” Lt. Gov. Nancy Wyman said. “The Governor’s initiative takes a smart, well-reasoned approach to bump stocks."
Under the governor's proposal, possession and sale of "rate of fire enhancements," including bump stocks, binary trigger systems, and trigger cranks, would result in a Class D felony. Permit holders who possess fire rate enhancements before July 1, 2020, would receive an infraction and be fined $90 for their first offense and charged with a Class D felony for any subsequent offense.
“The Las Vegas gunman fired more than 1,100 rounds of ammunition in only 11 minutes, using semi-automatic rifles modified with bump fire stocks designed to dramatically accelerate the rate of gunfire and cause maximum damage,” said Po Murray, chairman of the Newtown Action Alliance, which was formed after a gunman killed 20 first-graders and six educators at Sandy Hook Elementary School.
“After the heartbreaking Sandy Hook mass shooting incident five years ago, Connecticut passed the second strongest gun laws in the nation under the leadership of Governor Malloy and it is time for Connecticut to act now to lead the nation once again by banning bump stocks and other dangerous accessories to keep our families and communities safe.”
U.S. Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy (both D-Conn.), who have both pushed for stronger gun laws, support the proposed state legislation.
"These carnage force multipliers must be banned in Connecticut and nationwide. Connecticut is once again poised to lead the nation in the face of Congressional failure — a chance to prove again to the nation that it is possible to pass commonsense, serious solutions to protect our communities from the scourge of gun violence. But gun violence does not stop at the state line, and states like Connecticut with strong laws will remain vulnerable until Congress acts. I will not give up the fight,” Blumenthal said.
Murphy said, “Automatic weapons are outlawed for a reason, and bump stocks are a backdoor way to make dangerous guns even worse. I’m glad Connecticut is leading the nation on commonsense gun reforms. Congress needs to follow our lead and make sure no one in the country can buy these devices.”
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