NEW HAVEN, CT – Earlier today, the Connecticut State Senate passed House Bill 6667, An Act Addressing Gun Violence, which included proposals that Mayor Elicker and a coalition of mayors and advocates proposed earlier this year to increase accountability for a narrow group of repeat firearm offenders. Following the vote, Mayor Elicker released the following statement:

“Every family deserves to live on a block, every student deserves to attend a school, and every resident deserves to go about their day free from the threat of gun violence. The alarming increase of illegal guns, high-capacity firearms, and individuals engaging in violence is wreaking havoc on our communities and our nation, and we must do everything in our power to stop it.

In New Haven, we are doing everything we can to reduce gun violence, but our city is not an island. A collective effort by all levels of government – local, state, federal, and deep partnership with the community – is needed to take on this challenge and to reduce the harm of gun violence in our neighborhoods. The commonsense gun safety provisions in this legislation will help keep our residents safe and provide law enforcement with additional tools to keep illegal guns and the small number of repeat offenders who choose to engage in violence off our streets. 

Simply put, this legislation will save lives. And while we still have a lot of work to do, when Governor Lamont signs this bill into law, our communities will be safer. 

On behalf of the City of New Haven, I want to thank Governor Lamont, the Connecticut General Assembly, Judiciary Committee Co-Chairs Senator Gary Winfield and Representative Steve Stafstrom, my fellow mayors, and the many advocates, families, survivors, and law enforcement officials who worked tirelessly to advance these commonsense gun safety reforms.”  

PRESS CONTACT:

Lenny H. Speiller; (203) 725-4249; Lspeiller@newhavenct.gov