A group of Connecticut mothers met with state lawmakers on Tuesday and urged them to pass stricter gun laws.
The Connecticut chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, personally delivered more than 1,000 signed petitions and spoke directly with legislators.
There are three bills that have already passed through committee and have been referred to the House floor.
House Bill 7218, known as Ethan’s Law, would require gun owners to lock up their guns in their home, even if they are unloaded. It also increases the age of a minor from 16 to 18. The bill also sets forth guidelines for the State Board of Education to consult with police and develop gun safety curriculum that can be taught in grades K-12.
House Bill 7219 would ban guns without serial numbers and regulate those that are sold in a form requiring the purchaser to finish assembly or that are homemade or 3-D printed.
House Bill 7223 would require people who carry guns in their car to place them in a locked container while unattended.
The parents and activists said they can't wait and the time to call these bills for a vote is now.
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A woman who lost both of her parents in 2004 when a robber shot them both with a gun said she thinks guns getting into the hands of people who should not have them is a public safety issue.
“We are losing lives every single day in this country to gun violence and whether it’s accidental or intentional, there are guns getting into the hands of people who should not have them and that’s why we need this legislation to prevent that. It’s a public safety issue,” said Tara Gottlieb, of Easton.
The Connecticut Citizens Defense League released a statement in response to the bills.
"What society should really be focused on is the root causes of violence and the crimes associated with it. People steal guns, people commit violent acts, not inanimate objects," Scott Wilson, president of the Connecticut Citizens Defense League, said in a statement. "We all want a safer environment to live in, making it even harder for law abiding citizens to possess firearms is the wrong approach."
The parents and advocates pushing for the passage of these bills were joined by Gov. Ned Lamont, House Majority Leader Matt Ritter, Senate President Martin Looney, Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff and Attorney General William Tong.
