Connecticut lawmakers pass gun control law; other states take opposite tack
Connecticut lawmakers adopted a strict gun law on Thursday in response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings, even as several states are opting for bills expanding gun rights.
Supporters said the Connecticut legislation was the most comprehensive package of gun-control measures in the nation, the New York Times reports. The bill expands the firearms covered by the state’s ban on assault weapons, bans the sale of magazines with 10 or more bullets and requires registration of the existing ones, requires background checks on all gun sales, and creates a $15 million fund to improve school security, report the Times and Reuters.
Gov. Daniel Malloy is expected to sign the bill on Thursday.
Several other states are rejecting Connecticut’s approach. According to the Wall Street Journal (sub. req.), more states have passed laws expanding rather than restricting gun rights since the December shootings in Connecticut.
The Wall Street Journal cites these statistics from the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence: This year, five states have passed seven laws that add restrictions on gun ownership, while 10 states have passed 17 laws that lessen the restrictions. “The pattern shows the power of the gun lobby in state legislatures, particularly compared with gun-control groups, which have typically focused on federal legislation,” the story says.
