Governor Rell Signs Bill Requiring

Reporting of Lost or Stolen Firearms

          Governor M. Jodi Rell has signed a bill to require gun owners to report their guns lost or stolen within 72-hours of discovering them missing. 

“Right now, police are powerless if they trace a gun used in a crime back to its owner and the owner claims it was stolen,” Governor Rell said.  “This law targets irresponsible gun owners in an attempt to stem the tide of stolen guns used in crimes in Connecticut.  We think it will prove to be a useful tool for law enforcement by closing up a loophole in our laws.”

Those who violate the new law could face penalties ranging from an infraction to a felony.  Under the bill, a first-time failure to report a lost or stolen gun within 72 hours is an infraction, punishable by a fine up to $90.  For first offense infractions, gun owners would not lose their pistol permits.  Any subsequent unintentional failure to report a lost or stolen gun is a Class D felony, subject to a fine of up to $5,000, up to five years in prison, or both.  Intentional failure to report a lost or stolen gun would be a Class C felony, punishable by up to 10 years in prison.

The law takes effect October 1.  Similar laws already exist in Massachusetts, Michigan, New York, Ohio and Rhode Island. 

In March, Governor Rell announced her support of funding to re-establish the state police gun-trafficking task force, a special agency created to fight the illegal trade in guns.  The Task Force is responsible for investigating illegal gun transfers and tracing guns that law enforcement authorities seize. It has been funded with a mix of regular DPS appropriations, extra state funding and federal grants, but both the extra state funding and federal grants have been eliminated in recent years.

            Last year, Governor Rell took a number of steps to crack down on gun violence including sending State Police into Hartford to assist that city’s police department in combating a wave of gun crimes.  The Governor, working with the Judicial Branch and the Office of the Chief State’s Attorney, also established three special “gun dockets” in Bridgeport, Hartford and New Haven to deal specifically – and swiftly – with gun-related offensives. Each gun docket has a state prosecutor and Superior Court judge assigned to handle the case load.