Hartford Mayor Calls on State Leaders to End NRA's Role in Gun Permit Process

Hartford Mayor Luke Bronin is calling on state leaders to end the National Rifle Association’s role in Connecticut’s firearms permitting process.

He said he sent a letter Monday to state legislative leaders and Gov. Dannel Malloy.

State statute directs Connecticut residents to go through basic safety training certified by the NRA and similar groups before obtaining a firearms permit, according to Bronin, and he said he wants to ensure that the state is not “inadvertently legitimizing or supporting or endorsing the NRA in any way.”

“You are required to complete a handgun safety course, which must consist of no less than the NRA's "Basic Pistol Course," prior to submitting the application. The NRA's "Home Firearms Safety Course" and "First Steps Pistol Orientation Program" are not approved courses,” the guidelines on the state Department of Emergency Services and Public protection website say.

“Hartford knows the tragedy of gun violence all too well, and it’s unacceptable that Connecticut law legitimizes the NRA – and effectively requires residents to support the NRA – even as the NRA blocks common-sense gun safety laws at the national level,” Bronin said in a statement. “Without common sense gun laws at the national level, residents of the City of Hartford and of our state as a whole will continue to see guns from states with weaker gun laws used in crimes.

Bronin, who is exploring a run for governor, said in his statement that the “leadership of the NRA serves as lobbyists for the gun industry and the NRA is the single biggest obstacle to common-sense reforms.”

NBC Connecticut has reached out to the NRA for comment about Bronin's proposal.

“No organization in the world does more to promote the safe and responsible use of firearms than the NRA. The NRA’s Basics of Pistol Shooting course is the best training available for anyone seeking to carry a concealed firearm for self-protection. By eliminating the NRA training and standards for Connecticut’s permit holders, Mayor Bronin is putting politics above the safety of Connecticut citizens,” Catherine Mortensen, NRA ILA spokesperson, said in a statement.  

On Tuesday, Bronin issued another statement in response to the statement from the NRA.

“If the NRA had its way, there wouldn’t even be a permitting process in Connecticut. This is an organization that opposes permitting and universal background checks and would leave guns in the hands of domestic abusers. The idea that the NRA is an organization focused on gun safety is laughable. The NRA’s main mission is to oppose common-sense gun laws and to threaten anyone who challenges the NRA agenda,” Bronin said in a statement.

Copyright AP - Associated Press
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