​Haskell Cheers Advancement of Gun Violence Legislation

WILTON, CT – Today, State Senator Will Haskell (D-26) cheered the advancement of bills in the General Assembly related to firearms and firearm regulation.

The bills included legislation co-sponsored by Haskell that would ban ghost guns, a proposal to mandate the safe storage of firearms, and legislation that would empower law-enforcement officers to confirm that individuals carrying a firearm have a permit that allows them to do so.

House Bill No. 7218, “An Act Concerning the Safe Storage of Firearms in the Home,” would require all firearms in a home with a minor under the age of 18 to be secured safely whether loaded or unloaded. Anyone who leaves a gun unsecured in such a home would be made liable for damages if a minor were to obtain a firearm and cause injury to themselves or another individual. This legislation is referred to as “Ethan’s Law,” in reference to 15-year-old Ethan Song of Guilford, who was killed after obtaining an unsecured gun at a friend’s house.

House Bill No. 7219, “An Act Concerning Ghost Guns,” would ban guns without serial numbers, additionally creating regulations for firearms that require the purchaser to finish their assembly themselves. Those regulations would extend to homemade or 3-D printed guns. Senate Bill No. 60, “An Act Concerning the Presentation of a Carry Permit,” would require individuals open-carrying a gun to produce a firearm permit to a law enforcement officer upon request if the gun is visible.

“These bills are a crucial step in making sure that every student can feel safe in the classroom. I’ll continue to fight for these laws, because parents, teachers and students shouldn’t have to worry that the next school shooting may be around the corner,” said Sen. Haskell in a release.

Haskell represents parts of Bethel, New Canaan, Redding, Ridgefield, Weston, Westport, and Wilton.