House Passes Bill to Ban Guns for People With Restraining Orders Against Them

The Connecticut House has passed a bill that would prohibit anyone with a temporary restraining order against them from possessing firearms. 

Democratic Rep. William Tong said he introduced the measure with the goal of reducing violence against women and children. 

“We must do everything we can to prevent domestic violence,” Tong (D-Stamford, Darien) said in a statement. “Victims of domestic abuse are highly vulnerable to further abuse, and this bill protects them by temporarily removing firearms from their abusers. … A woman and her children simply should not have to wait several weeks for a court hearing when they are in any kind of danger because of another person having access to a gun.”

The House passed the bill, House Bill 5054, An Act Protecting Victims of Domestic Violence. late Wednesday night and it now heads to the state Senate for consideration. 

“We must protect domestic violence victims – we have a moral obligation to work to prevent needless tragedy. We know that the period of time immediately following a temporary restraining order is critical,” Gov. Dannel Malloy said in a statement. “Clearly, access to a firearm in that situation can only increase the chances that something tragic might happen. This is about standing up and acting.”

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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