Connecticut has passed a gun law that bans over 100 more assault weapons than before, requires background checks for all weapons transfers—including private sales—and limits clips to 10 rounds (those who already own large clips will have to register them by Jan. 1, 2014 or be subject to felony charges). The latter provision was proposed in Connecticut before the Newtown shooting December 14 in which Adam Lanza fired 100 bullets in the Sandy Hook Elementary School within a few minutes, killing six teachers and 20 children.
A similar ban on large clips for repeating weapons had come before the Connecticut Legislature in 2011, but heavy lobbying from gunmakers Smith and Wesson of Springfield and an industry group, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, headquartered in Newtown, got it quashed. As recently as this January, the NSSF was still working to head off stricter controls, issuing an “action alert” proclaiming “Connecticut Legislators Seeking to Destroy Second Amendment.”
Connecticut’s law passed April 4. That same week, the Maryland House of Delegates passed a law that would require gun purchasers to be fingerprinted, ban assault weapons and ban clips with more than 10 rounds. The measure is expected to pass the state Senate and the governor has promised to sign it.•
