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Victory For Gun Safety: Connecticut Moms Demand Action, Everytown Applaud Governor Lamont For Enacting Gun Safety Legislation

6.5.2019

HARTFORD, Conn. — The Connecticut chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, applauded Governor Lamont for signing legislation this week to prevent gun violence. Lawmakers also voted this week to increase funding to Project Longevity, an effective program that uses the group violence intervention model to prevent gun violence. Signing ceremonies are scheduled in the near future, but on Monday, Governor Lamont formally signed the following legislation:

  • HB 7218, also known as Ethan’s Law, which would strengthen current state law by requiring firearm owners to keep their guns securely stored to ensure that they are not accessible to children or anyone who is legally prohibited from possessing them;
  • HB 7219, which will prohibit undetectable, untraceable firearms; and
  • HB 7223, which will require owners of pistols and revolvers to store their handguns in a locked container any time they leave them unattended in a vehicle. This will help prevent gun thefts and other unauthorized access to handguns left in cars.

“Connecticut has long set the bar high for gun safety in this country, and today is no different,” said Kate Martin, a volunteer with Connecticut chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “We’re proud of all of our elected officials for recognizing the heartbreaking consequences of gun violence and responding with action on both a state and local level. There’s no telling how many lives will be saved and how many injuries will be prevented thanks to the enactment of these common-sense laws.”

In addition to the legislation signed this week, lawmakers voted to increase funding to Project Longevity, a data-informed gun violence prevention program based in New Haven, Hartford and Bridgeport. This investment will allow Project Longevity to fulfill their mission of breaking the cycle of gun violence and will save lives in Connecticut. By prioritizing Project Longevity in the budget process, Connecticut legislators have taken a comprehensive approach to preventing gun violence.

Volunteers with Connecticut Moms Demand Action worked tirelessly with lawmakers and community partners to get these bills over the finish line. In April, the Connecticut chapter of Moms Demand Action hosted the first advocacy day at the statehouse, where Governor Lamont indicated he would sign legislation. Through the legislative session, volunteers collected more than 1,800 signatures on a petition supporting Ethan’s law. They also made 200 hundred calls to lawmakers, urging them to advance HB 7223.

Governor Lamont was endorsed by Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund, as he made gun safety a core issue in his campaign. Ahead of the midterm elections, Everytown and Moms Demand Action volunteers in Connecticut had more than 3,000 conversations at doors and 32,000 conversations during phone calls for gun sense candidates.

In May, Connecticut Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro introduced federal legislation mirroring HB 7218, also named Ethan’s law.