RB 1094 will ban mere POSSESSION of any magazine (other than tubular, .22) that holds more than ten rounds. There is NO “grandfather” clause, there is no financial compensation for what amounts to THEFT of legally purchased, legally owned, commercial firearm accessories for which the State has benefitted from sales tax revenues!
Imagine if a bill were introduced tomorrow outlawing all cars that can go faster than 65 mph? Imagine if you only had until July 1st to TURN IN YOUR CAR to police OR be charged with a felony? Well, that is EXACTLY what is happening here. And since it “only” affects firearm magazines today – who knows what it will be extended to in the future.

The architects of this bill are pushing a snow ball down the “slippery slope”. If this ban goes through, a new precedent will have been set: the CONFISCATION of PRIVATE PROPERTY at the threat of being charged with a FELONY. What’s next? Five round magazines? Single shot firearms? Kitchen knives? Alcohol? Tobacco? Potato Chips?

This bill apart from its obvious flaws of having no impact on criminals, criminalizing citizens and abuse of law enforcement resources needs to be defeated because of this new precedent: The CONFISCATION of property that some people in government feel you should not own. This is perhaps the most repulsive, unconstitutional aspect of this bill and the impact it represents.

This bill MUST be defeated! Oppose RB 1094! Show up at the Legislative Office Building, Judiciary Committee, Wednesday, March 23rd! If you cannot attend this hearing, please call the Judiciary Committee at 860-240-0530 and Oppose RB 1094.

With the election a week away, CT gun owners must consider the consequences of allowing Dan Malloy to win the Governor’s race. Malloy has long been an anti-gun politician with an F-rating from the NRA and remains one of the few CT mayors belonging to New York City mayor Bloomberg’s “Mayors Against Illegal Guns” (MAIG) group, which has proven to be more of a “Mayors against ALL guns” group. By contrast, Tom Foley has written a letter committing his support to the Second Amendment for all lawful gun ownership purposes and has pledged to correct the “red tape” that many permit applicants face from various municipalities.

Moving on to Attorney General, the choice is clear for gun owners: Martha Dean has long been a supporter of the Second Amendment for years. She has represented gun clubs in litigation, including the recent issues involving the Blue Trail Range. Her Democratic opponent, George Jepsen, was a co-author of the 1993 State Assault Weapons ban that prevents CT residents from buying the same Colt rifles that are legal for sale in approximately 45 other states! Jepsen boasts proudly of his F-rating from the NRA and has featured guns on a police display table remarking how he has made us “safer” by banning certain firearms.

Last but not least, we have some proven friends of gun owners in some State Representatives and candidates who I believe were not given a fair rating by the NRA. These representatives include:

• T.R. Rowe (R-123)of Trumbull. TR has been a long time friend of gun owners and is an NRA member himself.
• John “Corky” Mazurek (D) of Wolcott has been a long time friend of gun owners and recently voted to allow revolvers (.357 or larger caliber) to be used for deer hunting (same as firearm season for private land) and voted to keep fees for hunting licenses from doubling.
• Newcomer Linda Monaco (R) in East Haven faces incumbent Mike Lawlor (D) – another well known anti gun politician.

For Congress in the Third Congressional District in Greater New Haven we have Jerry Labriola, an “AQ” NRA rated Republican challenger to anti-gun incumbent Rosa DeLauro, who is seeking her tenth term in Congress. Jerry Labriola is the candidate with the most potential to defeat DeLauro in many years.

In the US Senate, Linda McMahon carries an NRA A rating and endorsement. Her opponent, Richard Blumenthal has been anti-gun his entire career. That vote is a no brainer if you care about your gun rights.

Other names that come to mind to support include: Kathy Brown (R-89) NRA A rated; Joe Markley State Senate candidate in Southington to Wolcott; Sam Caliguiri, R-5 US Congress; Themis Klarides, R-Woodbridge; Len Greene Jr. Dist. 105 Seymour/Beacon Falls; Rosa Rebimbas, R-70; David Labriola R-131 Naugatuck. Joan Hartley (D) for State Senate Dist. 15 Naugatuck; Penny Bacchiochi (R) Stafford; and others.

To help Tom Foley and Martha Dean get elected, please call GOP HQ at 860-680-0005. Ask to participate in phone banking in these last few days to get out the vote! It’s up to us! Let’s do it.

Go to any gun club, trap or skeet club, rifle range, pistol range, hunting club, etc. on any weekend and the clubhouse will be filled with like-minded members and guests all bickering and complaining about how bad politicians are; how we cannot purchase popular models of firearms available in “red states”; how stupid gun laws are; how difficult it is to get a permit in some towns; how the neighbors want to ban hunting and target shooting and shut down their beloved gun clubs that they’ve belonged to for years and how that club pre-dated the neighbors’ presence by decades.

We can pack buses to march on Washington with a half million people – to protest the lack of representation in Washington, D.C. We can put 300 people on the steps of the State Capitol in Hartford on a cold, windy Saturday in early April to wave flags and cheer to support gun rights. We can pack a public hearing room with 200 people when the Judiciary Committee introduces some zany anti gun bill and we will show up and bicker and complain and demand to uphold our rights – BUT when we have the opportunity to effect CHANGE – to change who is representing us in Hartford and Washington, D.C. ….we sit idly by and do NOTHING.

Martha Dean, pro 2A candidate for CT Attorney General said it best in June at the Jack Robertson NSSF Sporting Clays tournament in Dover, NY. She said 20% of gun owners across the US aren’t even registered to vote! That is a shame everyone! I walked with Martha (and Tom Foley and Jerry Labriola) up and down the vendor row and firing line at Blue Trail range during their Gun Exposition and Pig Roast event on Saturday Aug 7th, three days before the Republican primary. Nearly half of the two hundred people we spoke to weren’t registered to vote and almost none were registered Republicans! And this is among GUN OWNERS in Connecticut!

Ladies and Gentlemen, unless you want to see more gun bans, ammo bans, restrictions on getting pistol permits, restrictions on when and how you can carry; restrictions on when and where you can shoot – you MUST get on board and be part of the solution instead of being part of the problem. You NEED to step up and VOLUNTEER to support pro – 2A candidates!

Contact the GOP at 860-680-0005 or email berube@gop.org to talk about making phone calls to get out the vote for TOM FOLEY for Governor; MARTHA DEAN for Attorney General and JERRY LABRIOLA for US Congress in Greater New Haven. Other campaign activities will need your assistance as well.

ALL of these candidates have pledged their support for the Second Amendment and for gun rights for Connecticut citizens. Their opponents on the Democratic ticket are ANTI GUN. Don’t let them win!
Tom Foley’s site is www.tomfoley2010.com 203-335-2010

Martha Dean’s site is : www.marthadeanforattorneygeneral.com
860-818-6071

Jerry Labriola’s site is: www.labriolaforcongress.com
860-806-0609
(860) 806-06098

Please get involved! Please contact these campaigns and offer some time to volunteer – maybe one or two hours here and there. Sacrifice ONE day of shooting at the range or hunting in the fields or hanging out in the gun shop to help these candidates get their message out and convince more people to go out and vote on November 2nd. Every Right confers a Responsibility. It is OUR responsibility to do our part.

Thank you,

Steve

Martha Dean is no stranger to supporting gun rights. She has been representing gun clubs and shooting ranges for nearly a decade and has even been criticized by both left-wing bloggers and her Republican primary opponent for standing up for gun ownership rights!
Having shot sporting clays recently with Martha, I had the opportunity to speak with her about the issues and learn her insight. Martha addressed the shooters at the Jack Robertson, NSSF Sporting Clays tournament in Dover, NY this past June, Martha pointed out that some 20 million gun owners across the USA are not even registered to vote!

Tom Foley, who is the Republican nominee for Governor has recently mailed this author a personal letter affirming his support for the Second Amendment stating, “As Governor, I will protect the individual’s right to legally purchase, own, carry and use firearms. I will seek no changes to our gun laws.” After all, that is what groups like the NRA have been hammering for years : “No New Gun Laws”. Finally, we have a gubernatorial candidate who has put that in writing and signed his name to it. It’s time to step up and back Tom Foley for Governor and Martha Dean for Attorney General. Can you think what the consequences would be with having Ned Lamont as Governor? How about Attorney General Jepsen? You know, the former State Senator who tried to expand the “assault weapons” ban to California “part 2″ status?

Go to TomFoley2010.com and marthadeanforattorneygeneral.com today for more information on these crucial, statewide campaigns!

Thanks to CCDL, Scott Wilson, Phil and Stephanie Cypher also thanks to the CT Coalition of Sportsmen, Bob Crook and all gun owners who called, wrote and testified against this bill have once again, preserved the BFPE as the independent review board to hear and restore denied and/or revoked pistol permit cases.

Below is a summary of two bills that would have impacted the BFPE:

SB 28 “An Act Consolidating State Agencies and Eliminating Certain Legislative Commissions”
is not on the legislative agenda. Thanks to all who called, wrote and testified. This bill would have eliminated the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners, removing any recourse for a hearing by an independent board for any person whose pistol permit was denied or revoked.

SB 284 “An Act Creating a Division of Administrative Hearings seeks to create a new entity within State government to hear contested cases affecting various issues including: the Dept. of Children and Families (DCF); the Dept. of Motor Vehicles (DMV); Transportation and the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners (BFPE). At this time, the bill remains active; however, language affecting the BFPE has been removed from the bill during a roll call vote and no longer impacts gun ownership. Both bills were heard in the Gov’t Administration and Elections Committee.

Dear Chairman/Chairwoman______________, members of the Public Safety and Security Committee, my name is______________ residing in ____________ and I am testifying in opposition to H5158 An Act Concerning the Regulation of Firearms.

Section 10 would eliminate private sales of long guns (rifles and shotguns) as has been a commonly accepted practice among sportsmen, target shooters, hunters, collectors, friends and family members handing them down through generations.  Perhaps tens of thousands of rifles and shotguns have been privately transferred in such a manner and it has rarely been an issue of concern for Public Safety. Section 10 would require the registration of long guns along with an authorization for the sale or transfer as is currently done for handguns.

What Public Safety Value is gained by adding an additional level of registration for long guns? Why bear the additional cost and effort for the State Police to create and maintain a long gun registration database? For what purpose is it intended? It is already illegal under federal law to maintain information collected for NICS purposes beyond a certain number of days. Would not the effort to enhance Public Safety be better served by allocating resources toward the thousands of outstanding, criminal arrest warrants that exist in the State.

Unless existing long guns come back into the “system” by becoming re-sold at retail again, there is no way to enforce this section. Existing long guns transferred on an individual basis prior to the enactment of this legislation would be unaffected and can theoretically continue to be transferred to other individuals.

In addition to Section 10, we are also opposed to Sec. 11 concerning Gun Shows and the 30-day notification process to both DPS and the local Chief of police for the town where the gun show is to be held. Again, what purpose is served by creating additional administrative burdens on gun show operators. No improvement of Public Safety is achieved through this measure, either.

I urge the rejection of H5158 unless or until objectionable language in the above sections is removed.

Thank you,

(your name here)

For decades permit applicants have been subjected to a variety of delays and burdened with “additional requirements” above and beyond what is allowed under CT state law in order to obtain a pistol permit.

CCDL has begun to reverse that trend, scoring a Declaratory Ruling by the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners (BFPE) that mandates issuing authorities adhere to state law and not make additional requirements. Below is the commentary provided by CCDL’s Vice President, Lenny Benedetto. Please read this and spread the word and encourage your fellow gun owners to join CCDL!

VICTORY FOR CONNECTICUT GUN PERMITS!
Written by Vice President

Saturday, 23 January 2010 10:45
The CCDL, Inc. has taken action to help Connecticut citizens applying for gun permits!

Many issuing authorities in Connecticut have for years taken it upon themselves to ask for “EXTRA” information from applicants applying for their permit to carry pistols and revolvers. These intrusive bits of extra information include things such as 3 letters of recommendation that may need to be notarized, signed forms allowing the issuing authority to do financial credit checks, and some even request applicants to sign waivers so authorities can check your medical/mental health history records. This extra information has never been required by any state statute. Members of the CCDL have asked that the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners (BFPE) make a Declaratory Ruling on whether all of this extra information is needed when applying for a permit.

Many people applying for their permit are not aware of what is deemed necessary by the State of Connecticut. Some have supplied the extra information to get their permit; others have considered it an invasion of their privacy and decided against applying for their permit on principle, thus compromising their Second Amendment rights!

The official ruling from BFPE is that anything not specifically called out in the CT state statues is NOT necessary when applying for a permit. They will be sending a copy of their ruling to each and every issuing authority in Connecticut.

CCDL Members and Member Trainers, please pass along this information to everyone. The people of this State, that are interested in getting their permits, need to know that they CANNOT be found unsuitable by any issuing authority, just because they did not supply the extra information at the time they apply for their carry permit.

The BFPE is a group made up of volunteers! The CCDL would like to thank them for the very long hours of service that they put in helping gun owners in this great State of ours!

Steve Loban of CTSAS.INFO provides initial safety briefing before the event

Hans Justus, Pres. WLOPA explains trapshooting to State Reps. Rosa Rebimbas and David Labriola

State Rep. Rosa Rebimbas with coach from WLOPA prepares to shoot

Saturday, December 5th 2009 was a cold morning in Connecticut that quickly devolved into a wintry mix day, but that didn’t stop State Representatives Rosa Rebimbas and David Labriola from visiting the Wolcott Landowners Protective Association www.wlopa.com for a morning of trapshooting!

The coldness of the day was tempered by hot coffee and a warm reception in WLOPA’s clubhouse as the Representatives met with and discussed gun owners rights at length with Wolcott’s members, including Hans Justus, president of WLOPA, Marshall Robinson, noted State Police ballistics expert and WLOPA Vice President; Jake McGuigan from the National Shooting Sports Foundation www.nssf.org Scott Wilson, President of the Conn. Citizens Defense League www.ccdl.us along with CCDL Vice President Lenny Benedetto and CCDL Secretary Justin O’Neal and myself being a member of Wolcott, CCDL and a constituent of Rep. Rosa Rebimbas.

Jake and CCDL graciously provided shotshells which along with Remington 1100 shotguns in 12 and 20 guage I had brought for the event, the group proceeded down to Wolcott’s trap fields where the Representatives received gun safety orientation and one on one instruction from Wolcott’s experienced trapshooting cadre.

Representative Rosa Rebimbas was ecstatic shattering her first clay pigeons – she had never shot before. The Remington 1100 LT-20, 20 gauge proved to be a comfortable and well suited shotgun for her to use. Representative David Labriola followed on the second shooting post with a larger 12 gauge 1100 Tournament Trap gun and both legislators braved the chilling wind and sloppy, wet snow flakes chasing elusive 4” diameter orange flying discs shattering some of them into tiny pieces – eliciting cheers from coaches and bystanders and smiles across the faces of all.

After the shooting event ended, Reps. Labriola and Rebimbas thanked Wolcott and asked that we spread the word with fellow gun owners and shooters that they understand and support gun ownership rights for law abiding citizens and urged organizing larger events next year for more of their colleagues to help spread that understanding. Overall, despite the weather conditions we succeeded in strengthening relationships with legislators and opened the door to continued events of this type.

Steve Loban
Conn. Shooters & Sportsmen
www.ctsas.info

Legislative Advocacy Coordinator
Conn. Citizens Defense League
www.ccdl.us

This means, if you carry now – and someone can see a part of your gun, or it “prints” through your clothes and is obvious the outlines of a gun can be seen – YOU WILL BE ARRESTED, IMPRISONED and FINED.

Please also note, there is no apparent exemption for Open Carrying at a firing range or gun club!

Start contacting your representatives NOW!! Find them at http://www.ctsas.info/links.html

If they are successful in passing this – next year they will go after hunters and long gun target shooters walking with uncased rifles and shotguns from their vehicles to their shooting and/or hunting sites

Obtained by an FOI request by a member of the CCDL (CT Citizens Defense League)
www.ccdl.us

IMPORTANT PART OF THIS PROPOSAL:

Concealed pistol or revolver means a firearm, that is a pistol or revolver that is covered or enclosed in any manner that an observer cannot determine that it is a handgun without removing it from that which covers or encloses it or without opening, lifting, or removing that which covers or encloses it. However, concealed handgun does not include a shotgun or rifle.

(d) Any person who violates any provision of subsection (a) of this section shall: (1) for conviction of a first offense, be fined not less than five hundred dollars or more than two thousand dollars, and (b) be imprisoned not more than one year; and (2) for a subsequent conviction of this offense (a) be fined not less than two thousand dollars or more than five thousand dollars, and (b) be imprisoned not more than five years.

Link to Document obtained from a CCDL member

http://www.ctgunrights.com/00.Docs/2010.Cover.for.Concealed.Legislation.pdf

Around 50 to 60 shooters gathered for a morning of fun, food, and a morning of Sporting Clays to raise funds to help http://savebluetrailrange.org. It was a warm and humid morning and more than once the second of a pair of clay targets was lost to the fog over the trees and the fog inside shooting glasses – but it was a fun time nonetheless!

Extra events such as a Lucky Target were held and a silent auction. The grand prize was a Henry .22 rifle.

Blue Trail Range has been in the news frequently in the past two years and has been fighting a lengthy legal battle to remain open amidst the accusations, which I believe are unfounded, that errant rounds from the BTR have been hitting homes over a mile away in Durham. Investigations and inspections have repeatedly found shell casings in the woods, near the affected homes and obviously not coming from BTR. This has not stopped efforts to close the range. Allegations of lead contamination of a nearby reservoir have also been raised and recent testing has found those levels to be safe and LOWER than they were ten years ago!

Included among the supporters and participants were Debbie Lyman from BTR, Attorney Craig Fishbein, who has been representing BTR and Attorney Gregory Miller, who has been a long time friend and ally of Shooting Sportsmen’s causes (and is also a decent shot with his Parker PH16 side-by-side 16 guage shotgun made in 1896!)

I was glad to be a part of the effort to support and spread the word about helping Blue Trail Range.

BTR has been in existence for decades and has introduced more new shooters to the sport than arguably all of the private clubs in the state combined. Thousands of shooters from across the state visit BTR to practice, take classes, sight in hunting guns and most importantly, bring their children to learn and appreciate the importance of shooting safety and fundamentals and the importance of learning responsibility – lessons that will serve to bolster Freedom of Thought, Freedom of Choice and Liberty.

Without instilling these crucial elements in today’s youth, the shooting sports will die out with the current generation of shooters and following that will be the demise of Liberty itself. This is ultimately what the anti-gun forces want. Let’s work to prevent that from happening. Support Blue Trail Range.