West Hartford Mayor Drafting Anti-Gun-Violence Resolution

WEST HARTFORD, CT — Referencing "recent gun-related tragedies across the United States," West Hartford Mayor Shari Cantor said Monday she plans to introduce a resolution calling on Congress to adopt "comprehensive federal gun reform and fund research into gun violence prevention" at the August 13th meeting of the West Hartford Town Council

"Since Sandy Hook, Connecticut has some of the strongest gun laws in the country," Cantor said. "But because gun violence is easily exported from other jurisdictions with weaker gun laws, local government can only do so much. Congress has a moral responsibility to take steps to stop the epidemic of gun violence in this country. States and towns cannot do this alone."

Cantor added that, in response to the recent shootings, she has asked West Hartford Town Manager Matt Hart and public safety officials to review the town’s response and prevention plans for mass-casualty shootings.

Cantor said she plans to reach out to the state’s Congressional delegation to discuss the proposed reforms, which are "reflective of Connecticut’s gun laws." The proposals include universal background checks, a federal ban on high-capacity assault weapons, a federal "red flag" law allowing police to confiscate firearms from people who are deemed to be a danger to themselves or to others, a federal registry for dangerous weapon offenders, and federal funding for gun violence prevention research.

Cantor has also signed onto a letter with more than 200 other mayors from around the country to urge the U.S. Senate to immediately act on gun safety legislation. She said she hopes other municipalities will adopt similar resolutions.

"The reforms we’re asking for are common sense solutions," Cantor said. "West Hartford residents and the majority of Americans are sick and tired of inaction on federal gun reform, a critical issue of health and well-being to our nation."

Just last week, U.S. Rep. Joe Courtney (D-2nd District) released a statement on "the need for Senate action" on House-passed gun violence prevention legislation following the recent mass shootings in El Paso, Texas and Dayton, Ohio.

"All of the bills on which he House has taken action have languished in the Senate without action, despite some bipartisan support," he said. "The question of ‘Why doesn’t Congress do something?’ ... should really be, 'Why doesn’t the Senate take up these bills that have deep popular support, and that have already passed the House?' It is time for the Senate, once dubbed The Greatest Deliberative Body in the World to live up to its reputation and at least be bold enough to debate and vote on an issue that is sapping the confidence of every American to feel safe.”