Soon the Connecticut Judiciary Committee will be voting on TWO Second Amendment bills. Your legislator is a key vote on these two committee bills. As their constituent, contact your legislator and tell them to oppose HB 6355 An Act Concerning Risk Protection Orders or Warrants (Red Flag) and to support HB 6491 An Act Concerning Nonlethal Electronic Defense Weapons.

HB 6355 An Act Concerning Risk Protection Orders or Warrants will make many drastic changes to Connecticut’s current Extreme Risk Protection Order law. This bill will allow family, extended family and healthcare providers to petition the court directly on a good faith belief for a warrant to have one’s firearms seized without an investigation. Actually, this will move mental health treatment backwards in this state, stigmatizing firearm ownership and mental health assistance. Firearm owners should not have to fear losing their rights every time they go to the doctor. Furthermore, it removes alternatives to have one’s firearms transferred someone else. If granted, the order will be indefinite unless the person sues the state for their rights to be reinstated and the burden of proof will be placed on the firearm owner. We cannot allow firearms to be removed from individuals solely based on a “good faith” belief that one should not have firearms.

HB 6491 An Act Concerning Nonlethal Electronic Defense Weapons. Removes the prohibition on possession of nonlethal electronic defense weapons (stun guns). This bill stems from a case in our neighboring state of Massachusetts in which Ms. Caetano, a victim of domestic violence who was assaulted to the point of hospitalization, had a restraining order (a mere piece of paper!) against her attacker. A concerned friend of Ms. Caetano gave her a stun gun for self-protection. While leaving work, she was confronted by her abuser, fearing for her life and safety, she displayed the stun gun, causing the abuser to flee and saving her.  After she alerted law enforcement of the situation, she was arrested and convicted for possessing a stun gun. In 2016, Caetano v Massachusetts the U.S. Supreme Court overturned her conviction. The court has held that the Second Amendment extends, to all instruments that constitute bearable arms, even those that were not in existence at the time of the founding.

SAMPLE LETTER BELOW - FEEL FREE TO PERSONALIZE
Send to [email protected]

Dear Senator Winfield,

As your constituent, I am writing you today to oppose the Judiciary Committee raised bill HB 6355 An Act Concerning Risk Protection Orders or Warrants. This is a terrible bill and should not make it out of committee. Do not move mental health backwards in our state.

It was apparent during the public hearing that our current law is meeting the needs of residents. Currently, someone in crisis can get immediate assistance and referrals to services from the investigating officers, firearms are removed immediately. What is being proposed is delaying this when family and healthcare providers go to the court having to wait for an order to be sent to the police department. If there was a fire, would you wait till city hall opens on Monday to ask them to send a form to the fire department? Then why wait if someone is in immediate risk of hurting themselves or others?

If you vote favorably, firearm owners will fear losing their rights every time they go to the doctor, stigmatizing firearm ownership and mental health assistance. I ask that you vote no on HB 6355 An Act Concerning Risk Protection Orders or Warrants.
I am asking that you support HB 6491 An Act Concerning Nonlethal Electronic Defense Weapons. Removes the prohibition on possession of nonlethal electronic defense weapons. Citizens especially victims of domestic violence should be afforded the option of nonlethal electric defense devices if they choose. Jamie Caetano of MA might not be here today if she did not have one that day. This is a bill that I hope to see you co-sponsor.

Thank you in advance for opposing HB 6355 and supporting HB 6491.

Sincerely,

Done.

Easy enough
Done

Thx sb

Thanks!