House Republican Press Release

April 11, 2007

Press Office: 860-240-8700

Kalinowski Helps Broker Compromise on Lost, Stolen Gun Bill

HARTFORD – A compromise to last year’s failed efforts to track missing weapons passed a key legislative hurdle today when a companion measure to fund a gun trafficking task force fashioned by Republicans was approved in bipartisan fashion in the Judiciary Committee.

The committee approved funding of up to $500,000 for the gun trafficking task force. Republicans said that was a key factor in getting their support for the missing weapons bill and through the committee.

Republicans on the panel, House Republican Leader Larry Cafero (R-142), and Rep. Ray Kalinowski (R-100) worked with Democrats to broker the successful compromise. One bill lessens the penalty for failing to report a lost or stolen weapon within the first 72 hours that it goes missing to an infraction. It also increases the penalty to a felony for a second offense. Last year the bill failed in the Democratic-controlled House in the last days of the session.

House Republican Leader Lawrence F. Cafero Jr. of Norwalk praised the members, particularly Rep. Kalinowski, for working out a resolution of what turned out to be a contentious debate last year.    

“We were able to develop a consensus on the issues we were unable to last year,” said Kalinowski.  “I feel confident that this compromise successfully addresses the concerns raised on both sides with regards to properly accounting for lost and stolen guns.  We all agree that we need to keep illegal guns off the street, and funding the task force will be central to that.”

The matters now go to the Public Safety Committee, where Representative Kalinowski serves as Ranking Member.   The debate over gun control will resume there, and Cafero said that he hopes that the debate will center on reasonable ways to deal with the often thorny gun control matters. “The vote in the Judiciary Committee shows that these ideas  and public policy disputes can be dealt with in a bipartisan way,’’ he added.

The weapon bill levies a $90 infraction fine for failing to report it for the first offense. Subsequent failures to account for lost or stolen weapons would be treated as felonies and handgun owners would be subject to losing their licenses.