2013 Gun Ban Campaign
Opinions and Rulings
Working to undermine, repeal and render impotent a bill as large as SB 1160 (the 2013 Gun Ban) is what we do. However, these things are not simple or quick. Connecticut Carry’s focus is not on large facial challenges; instead we focus on the more effective alternative of fighting the enforcement of the laws step-by-step.
To do this, we have two major issues: We must define the laws, and we must educate people about the laws. Education is a focus of ours, and we have dedicated an entire branch of Connecticut Carry to this aim. But first, we must define the laws. To do this, we can wait until people (our members) are arrested and they have their day in court. Or we can invest our money into rulings and opinions that push the state and the law enforcement community to define how they plan to enforce the laws, before they actually enforce them on people (our members).
Therefore, we want to constantly seek legal opinions and declaratory rulings from the state and from prominent attorneys to try and establish both what our members and the public should do to keep themselves out of criminal legal trouble. This is not cheap, however. We will all need to constantly fund these opinions and the battle for the rulings. The time of attorneys, no matter how well we know them, is not free. Likewise, the state does not give up declaratory rulings easily. These almost always require some kind of legal representation; we choose the best representation.
We must also always be prepared that the declaratory rulings will not go our way. In that case, we must always be willing to take the state to task in court to correct the declaratory ruling. This can result in strong case law and law enforcement education if things are done right.
Please donate to our 2013 Gun Ban Campaign fund so that we can keep these opinions and rulings coming at a steady rate. This is where we can really make a difference!
Petitions for Declaratory Ruling
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The act of modifying a lawfully possessed assault weapon by adding features or changing characteristics is lawful and therefore not subject to criminal liability.
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The laws passed in No. 13-220 of the 2013 Public Acts (P.A.13-220) on June 18, 2013, retroactively legalized firearms that had been defined since passage of No. 01-130 of the 2001 Public Acts (P.A. 01-130) on June 28, 2001, as assault weapons subject to a prohibition on possession.
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