Judiciary Committee
AN ACT CONCERNING WEAPONS IN VEHICLES
SUMMARY: This act codifies case law by exempting, from the ban on carrying certain weapons in a vehicle, a person who has a dirk knife (a double-edged, dagger-like knife) or police baton in a vehicle while lawfully moving his or her household goods or effects from one place or residence to another.
By law, subject to various exemptions, it is a class D felony (see Table on Penalties) for someone to knowingly have certain weapons in a vehicle the person owns, operates, or occupies.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2016
BACKGROUND
Related Case
In State v. Deciccio (315 Conn. 79 (2014)), the state Supreme Court overturned the conviction of a man found guilty by a jury of violating CGS § 29-38 for transporting a dirk knife and police baton in his vehicle while moving his belongings from one residence to a new one. In its unanimous ruling, the court held that possession of the weapons is protected by the Second Amendment and that the statutory scheme at the time, “which categorically bars the transportation of those weapons by motor vehicle from a former residence to a new residence, impermissibly infringes on that constitutional right. ”
OLR Tracking: JO; KS; PF; bs