Thank you all who called, wrote and showed up to testify!
H.5158 "An Act Concerning Firearms Regulation" had its most onerous section REMOVED today! That is the section that would require Long Gun Registration and BAN private sales between individuals as is commonly done among gun club members, collectors, family members, etc.
As a result of YOUR calls, emails and the twenty or so people who testified - The State Police Liaison called the Public Safety Committee at the hearing and told Co-Chair Senator Andrea Stillman that they were stripping the Long Gun section from the bill!
Don't Forget To THANK YOUR LEGISLATORS on the Public Safety & Security Committee! Co-Chairman Representative Steve Dargan, Rep. Steve Mikutel, Rep. Penny Bacchiocchi, Rep. Rosa Rebimbas, Rep. Minnie Gonzalez and Rep. Esposito who all either made remarks against the Long Gun Registration, or otherwise established their opposition to this State Police requested bill.
DOs and DONTs of Public Hearings: DO dress well and come early - preferably around 8am
DO sign up along with anyone coming with you
DO give 45 copies of your testimony to the clerk
DO practice and rehearse your spoken testimony before the hearing. Keep it under three minutes
DO sign up your name in the roster just inside the hearing room and indicate whether you OPPOSE or SUPPORT (this case we're OPPOSING Bill # H5158)
DO address the legislators politely and answer questions if asked. If you are not comfortable or prepared to answer a question reply gracefully, "Representative/Senator, I will have to look into your question and get back to you"
DO "PASS" when called to speak if you are uncomfortable or simply wish to move the process along so that the key speaker(s) from your group can get called up faster.
DO register and sign in since even if you are only observing, so the Committee sees your name added to the list of those opposed to the bill. We want to greatly outnumber the bill's supporters.
DO be prepared to spend the entire day, possibly into the evening hours if you intend to speak.
Section 10 of the bill "An Act Concerning the Regulation of Firearms" includes the registration of LONG GUNS just like handguns!
More to follow soon! There are other aspects of this bill we are opposed to including preapproval and notification of BOTH the local chief of police AND the State Police before allowing a GUN SHOW
CALL the Public Safety Committee at 860-240-0570 to oppose this bill!
Tell the clerk there is NO PUBLIC SAFETY VALUE in spending money and time on State Police to create and maintain a Long Gun Registration database that is possibly illegal under federal law!
Why are we not allocating OUR TAX DOLLARS and State Police manpower to arrest ANY of the thousands of criminals on CT streets who have outstanding warrants?
Remember: Please be POLITE and cordial in your tone of voice over the phone, but be brief and get the point across and say "thank you" at the end of the call.
The State Of Connecticut Department Of Public Safety is at it again. There are a number of anti-gun legislation laws being proposed to our legislators upcoming. Read the current proposals here!
A key one is the attempt to mandate concealment by honest law abiding citizens. This attempt was made last year and failed. It is back again as a proposal for 2010.
This time the bill includes language for fines ranging from $500-$2000 and can include prison time, up to a year in jail for 1st offense.
There is no language provision in this proposal to exempt ACCIDENTAL EXPOSURE and the way it is written PRINTING, can turn a law abiding citizen into a criminal for exercising their rights. If you believe in your 2nd Amendment right to keep and bear arms, we need you to help us defeat this.
Many gun owners are indifferent to Open Carry Laws, but this is how the lawmakers win. They use divisive tactics to alienate us in matters such as this one...
We truly need every gun owner behind us. This will be a key agenda item at the next CCDL meeting in Middletown this coming Tuesday evening.
The following audio transcript is pertinent to CT residents with regards to "Due Process" issues related to the denial and appeal process surrounding Pistol Permits.
The CCDL attended this hearing at the Lower Manhattan Courthouse on Sept 17th to show their support for fellow CCDL member, Attorney Rachel M. Baird and both of her clients James Goldberg and Peter Kuck.
A finding in our favor would allow for the original "Due Process" case to be retried in a Connecticut court. A win there would speed up any and all appeals cases to the Board of Firearms Permit Examiners. Thus putting permits back in the hands of law abiding citizens who at this moment have an approximate 19 month wait just to have an appeal hearing.
At approximately 18:35 into the audio, one of the judges states to Assistant Attorney General Gregory D'Auria that what Golberg did was “Perfectly LEGAL”. Response from Gregory D'Auria “Perhaps NOT A CRIME”
The new Connecticut budget is now in the process of being passed. To help balance this budget they have decided to INCREASE the cost for Pistol Permits and Hunting Licenses!
This letter was writen by Scott Wilson, President of CCDL, Inc. to Governor Jodi Rell.
09/01/2009
Attn: Governor Jodi Rell
Re: Pistol/Revolver Fees
Hunting License Fees
Dear Governor Rell,
This letter has been written on behalf of our New Organization formed and incorporated April 28th, 2009 so named: Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. We are a firearms rights group based here in Connecticut.
My intention as the CCDL President was to write to you with a letter of introduction, detailing our organization’s intent on working with you and our legislators into the easing of restrictions that law abiding gun owners of Connecticut are being faced with each and every legislative session. However, I feel this matter requires immediate action.
The proposal from our States legislators with the purpose of attempting to bridge the deficit in Connecticut by way of increasing handgun permit costs and hunting licenses to gun owners is not only an unfair price jump, it will also compromise the rights of many law abiding citizens with regards to defense of themselves and their families, and as well it may affect the ability for some to put food on the tables of their families.
We at the Connecticut Citizens Defense League call on you Governor Rell to stand by gun owners and residents of this State, and wholeheartedly support our right of defense as stated in Article 1 SEC. 15. of our States Constitution: “Every citizen has a right to bear arms in defense of himself and the state”. Please keep in mind that rights should never be determined by cost.
Connecticut Citizens Defense League, Inc. 
