Gov. Malloy Pushes Bump Stock Ban

HARTFORD, CT — Gov. Dannel Malloy announced Tuesday that he is proposing legislation to ban "rate of fire enhancements," including bump stocks, binary trigger systems and trigger cranks. Malloy's push comes after the Las Vegas massacre in which the gunman used bump stocks to fire more than 1,100 rounds in 11 minutes from legal semiautomatic rifles.

“Bump stocks are cheap, they are deadly, and they have no place in our society,” Malloy said. “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."

Under the proposal possession and of a rate of fire enhancement device would be a Class D felony offense. Permit holders who possess fire rate enhancements prior to July 1, 2020 would receive an infraction and be fined $90 for the first offense and a Class D felony for any subsequent offense.

The NRA called on the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to review whether bump stocks comply with federal law and said that devices that allow semiautomatic weapons to fire as fully-automatic rifles should be subject to additional regulations. Some however called it a diversionary tactic and that Congress should act to ban bump stocks.

"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,” Po Murray, Chairman of the Newtown Action Alliance, said. “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.”

Image via Gov. Malloy office