Newtown Action Alliance Statement on the Passage of Connecticut Gun Control Laws
For Immediate Release
May 24, 2019
Contact:
John Kelley
917-679-6475
Newtown Action Alliance Statement on the
Passage of Connecticut Gun Control Laws
Newtown, CT - Po Murray, the Chairwoman of Newtown Action Alliance, released the below statement after the Connecticut Senate passed the following gun control legislation:
HB 7218 (Ethan’s Law): Safe storage of guns in the home (vote 34-2)
HB: 7223: Safe storage of guns in cars (vote 25-15)
HB 7219: Banning ghost guns (vote 28-7)
“Passing safe storage laws for homes and cars and banning ghost guns will save many lives in Connecticut. We thank the Connecticut General Assembly for demonstrating to America that Democrats and Republicans can work together to pass gun control bills that will help to reduce gun deaths and injuries in America.
“On May 7th, the Connecticut House passed Ethan’s Law with a 127-16 vote and yesterday the Connecticut Senate supported the bill with an unprecedented vote of 34-2. Only 18 out of 179 members of the Connecticut General Assembly voted against the bipartisan bill to require safe firearm storage in the home.
“Ethan Song was tragically killed by his neighbor’s unsecured gun last January. On Tuesday, we stood on Capitol Hill with Ethan’s parents Kristin and Mike Song when Representatives Rosa DeLauro, Jim Langevin and Debbie Murcarsel-Powell introduced the House of Representatives version of Ethan’s Law H.R. 2867 to set the federal standards for firearm storage. Senators Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy introduced the Senate bill S.193 in January. It’s time for Congressional Democrats and Republicans to work together to pass Ethan’s Law on the federal level to prevent unintentional shootings, school shootings, suicides and violent crimes.
“Consider the following alarming statistics:
4.6 million children live in homes with at least one gun that is loaded and unlocked
8 children are killed by unsecured guns every single day
In the last decade, nearly 2,000,000 firearms have been reported stolen
In 2016 alone, 238,000 firearms were reported stolen in the United States
A new Harvard study shows that up to a third of youth gun suicides, deaths and injuries could be prevented if guns are properly stored and ammunition is stored separately
“Joined by Kristin Song, Mike Song and Connecticut Against Gun Violence, we met with many House Republicans in Congress earlier this week and we all agreed that safe gun storage practices are a requirement for responsible gun ownership. We encourage all House and Senate Republicans and Democrats to join our effort to pass Ethan’s Law and demonstrate to America that Congress can do more than send thoughts and prayers to the families and communities that are impacted by gun violence in America.”
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Newtown Action Alliance (http://alliance.newtownaction.org/) is a Newtown-based, national grassroots organization formed after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shootings. Our mission is to achieve the steady and continuous reduction of gun violence through legislative and cultural changes.