REPORT ON BILLS FAVORABLY REPORTED BY COMMITTEE

TITLE OF BILL:

AN ACT PROHIBITING THE SALE OF ELECTRONIC DEFENSE WEAPONS.

SPONSORS OF BILL:

REASONS FOR BILL:

Current law prohibits the possession and use of electronic defense weapons in the state of Connecticut. This limited restriction, however, has not been enough to prevent the possession and misuse of these weapons by certain individuals. This bill expands the current possession and use law to include making it illegal to distribute, transport or import into the state, keep for sale, or offer or expose for sale, or give away any electronic defense weapon as defined in Section 53a-3 of the general statutes.

Substitute Language: (LCO No. 2347) Subsection (b), Lines 5-9, add exemption for police and Department of Corrections; renumber original subsection (b) subsection (c).

RESPONSE FROM ADMINISTRATION/AGENCY:

None expressed.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF SUPPORT:

Connecticut Council of Police, AFSCME Council 15, AFL-CIO, Eric R. Brown, staff counsel. The union favors the bill because it removes these dangerous weapons from the hands of civilians who might use them for criminal purposes.

NATURE AND SOURCES OF OPPOSITION:

Coalition of Connecticut Sportsmen, Robert T. Crook, Director. Electronic defense weapons immobilize the bad guys without causing death or serious injury. Why is that a problem? The coalition is concerned with the citizen's Natural and Statutory right to self defense, but virtually any self-defense weapon is prohibited by statute. There is no valid reason to prohibit the sale/ownership/transport/import of electronic defense weapons and no data has been produced to indicate that they are being used inappropriately. A more proper issue would be to revise the many undue restrictions imposed on the public with little or no impact on criminal use.