Malloy and other governors form coalition to combat gun violence

Gov. Dannel Malloy
Gov. Dannel Malloy

Gov. Dannel P. Malloy of Connecticut, Gov. Phil Murphy of New Jersey, Gov. Andrew Cuomo of New York, and Gov. Gina Raimondo of Rhode Island today announced the formation of the new “States for Gun Safety” coalition to combat gun violence.

The group issued a press release saying in the face of repeated federal inaction, the multi-state coalition will enter into a Memorandum of Understanding to better share information and tackle this devastating epidemic through a comprehensive, regional approach. The coalition will advance a multi-pronged effort focused on enhancing inter-state information sharing among law enforcement, stopping the flow of out-of-state guns, and creating the nation’s first Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium that will study the issue across multiple disciplines to better inform policy makers nationwide.

By working cooperatively, the governors said states will be able to tackle issues related to the epidemic of gun violence while federal action by Congress and the President remains to be taken. They are inviting other states from across the nation to join the new effort.

“We refuse to allow federal inaction to enact commonsense, gun safety laws endanger the lives of our residents,” Malloy said. “Despite the best efforts of powerful lobbyists from special interest groups, we will work together as a coalition of states to keep our communities safe. We cannot sit back and let guns get into the hands of those who shouldn’t have them, and we cannot simply watch almost daily tragedy occur. One thing remains clear: We would be better off if every state and the federal government enacted sensible gun safety rules. We will not wait for Washington to act — the time for action is now.”

“Gun violence is not a New Jersey problem, a New York problem, a Connecticut problem, a Rhode Island problem, or a problem for any particular state or region – it is a national problem,” Murphy said.

Cuomo said, “Here in New York, we’re proud to be home to the nation’s strongest gun safety law. However, the federal government’s continued inaction on this issue has not only allowed the epidemic of gun violence to spread, but it has actually prevented the laws like the SAFE Act from being fully effective.”

“Rhode Island has some of the nation’s strongest gun laws, but our nation has some of the world’s weakest,” Raimondo said“Kids in Florida and across the nation are taking action, and it’s not a surprise: We’ve forced them to lead because for years elected officials in Washington have refused to.  We will stand up with our students and with parents to strengthen our gun laws and combat gun violence.”

As part of the coalition, Connecticut, New Jersey, New York, and Rhode Island will share information about individuals who are prohibited from purchasing or possessing a firearm within that state. The current lack of information-sharing between the four states has prevented state law enforcement agencies from knowing if an individual has attempted to purchase or permit a weapon in a neighboring state. The agreement, in accordance with federal and state privacy protections, will provide state law enforcement agencies with details on the firearm purchase or permit denials for those who are disqualified.  People may be disqualified from owning a firearm for several reasons, including an arrest warrant, order of protection, debilitating mental health condition, or criminal history.

The four states will each designate an institution of higher education to partner with the others and create the nation’s first Regional Gun Violence Research Consortium comprised of dedicated public health, social welfare, public policy, and criminal justice experts who will share and examine data to better inform policymakers nationwide.

Building on these efforts, the states will also work to push the federal government to adopt commonsense gun safety measures. In order to protect families and communities across the region, the group will call on the federal government to swiftly enact universal background checks, an assault weapons ban, and a federal waiting period between the purchase and delivery of guns.

In 2013, following the tragedy in Sandy Hook, the Connecticut General Assembly adopted bipartisan legislation to implement some of the strongest gun violence prevention laws in the nation, which included the banning of the sale of assault weapons and high capacity magazines, and helps keep guns out of the hands of the mentally ill.  In 2016, Governor Malloy signed legislation to close a loophole in the state’s domestic violence laws by prohibiting the possession of firearms for anyone who becomes subject to a temporary restraining order.

This year, Governor Malloy proposed legislation that will ban any type of enhancement that increases the rate of fire of a semiautomatic weapon, including, but not limited to, bump stocks, trigger cranks, binary trigger systems, and any other modifications.

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