Politics & Government

Farmington Legislators Explain Support for Gun Bill

State Reps. Mike Demicco and Brian Becker share why they voted in favor of the historic new law.

All four members of Farmington’s legislative delegation voted in favor of Connecticut's historic gun bill, which Gov. Dannel P. Malloy signed into law at noon on Thursday.

The bill passed the State Senate Wednesday evening, approved by a vote of 26-10.   

While Farmington State Rep. Mike Demicco acknowledged Thursday that the bill wasn’t perfect, he said the bill did succeed at striking a difficult balance between protecting public safety and Second Amendment rights.  

“To me that’s the bottom line; that was the issue for the last three months — the need to protect the public and make sure people are able to keep and bear arms and the struggle between the two. I think this is a good balance,” Demicco said.  

He noted that it was a bipartisan bill worked out by the leaders of both parties in the House and Senate.  

To the issue of allowing current owners to keep high-capacity magazines, which were specifically targeted as a factor in the number of deaths at Sandy Hook, Demicco cited compromise and cost.  

“There was opposition to the idea of government taking away people’s property and to taking property and not compensating them,” he said. “Buying it back would cost millions of dollars. Ultimately they chose not to do it that way and I think it was a good decision.”  

State Rep. Brian Becker, who represents West Hartford, Farmington and Avon, agreed the bill was not ideal but was a positive step.  

“It is not perfect, but no compromise is,” Becker said. “The bill also avoids the draconian measure of requiring the disposition or destruction of guns and magazines legally owned today.”  

But the outcome of law itself may be worth any concessions.  

“I thought long and hard about the effect any potential legislation might have,” Becker said. “In the Talmud it is said, "When you save one life, it is as if you saved the entire world." Accordingly, if the provisions of HB 1160 can save even one life, I think it was incumbent upon us to pass it.  We know that some children escaped from Sandy Hook Elementary School when the shooter had to reload.  If he had to reload more often (because of the magazine limits that are part of the bill), perhaps more children would have survived the attack.”

State Sen. Beth Bye, who represents West Hartford, Avon and Farmington, said she was pleased that several public safety provisions she advocated for were included in the bill, which according to a release from her office include: prohibiting the sale of any rifle or pistol magazine with a capacity of more than 10 rounds; expanding the definition of an "assault weapon"; requiring a permit to purchase ammunition; and prohibiting the storage of firearms and ammunition in a manner that allows access by persons under age 18.   

“This bill makes Connecticut different, and it and shines a light on how we are different,” Bye told her colleagues in the Senate chamber, according to a news release from her office. 

Sen. Terry Gerratana, New Britain and Farmington, touted how the bill addresses mental health needs.

“What we passed today is a bill that transcends partisanship to establish a new level of care for Connecticut residents suffering with mental health issues,” Gerratana said in a release. “I believe that we have removed many of the barriers faced by mental health patients, specifically the access to appropriate medical services. The provisions in this bill will make for a healthier, safer Connecticut.”  

The house version of the bill was passed at 2:26 a.m. Thursday, with West Hartford's three state representatives, Brian Becker, Andrew Fleischmann, and Joe Verrengia all voting in favor of it.

According to the Hartford Courant, the final vote was 105 to 44, with 2 absent. Ninety-eight Democrats were present for the vote, the Courant reported, and 85 of them voted in favor while 13 were opposed. Of the 51 Republicans voting, 20 voted in favor of the bill and 31 were opposed, according to the Courant.  


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