To Gov. Malloy, Senator Looney and all state senators and representatives:
Why are you rushing through the most important legislation in a generation?
Why combine a wide range of complex issues into a single giant omnibus bill?
Why rush to pass legislation before the official report on the Sandy Hook massacre has been completed and made public?
WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO HIDE FROM THE GENERAL PUBLIC?
Emergency Certification* on firearms-related bills is an egregious abuse of our legislative process. I oppose any bill that comes to the House or Senate via Emergency Certification.
The use of an omnibus bill is a blatant attempt to ram a single bill down the throats of both legislators and voters, irrespective of the merits of its individual parts.
The people of Connecticut deserve fair and open hearings on specific firearms bills that are raisedonly by a committee and standard processes.
I am one of 500,000+ gun owners in the State of Connecticut and I am now a single-issue voter. We are all watching what you and your colleagues say, do and vote.
The people of Connecticut do not need additional gun laws, especially those that have been ineffectual in the past. Especially those that have failed to stop rampage killers in jurisdictions where they are currently the law.
Enforce the current laws, empower police to get illegal guns out of circulation and lengthen prison sentences for criminals that conduct violent acts.
Have you noted the plunge in Andrew Cuomo’s approval ratings since the “SAFE” Act was rammed through in New York? Voters are watching you just as closely.
Protect our children. Take your time. Seek a broad range of opinions. Make Connecticut a thought leader on 21st century gun violence mitigation and reject the ineffectual ideas hatched in the 1980s.
Thank you.
A Concerned Parent and Gun Owner
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Press release from Senator Looney indicating the use of emergency certification will be sought:
http://senatedems.ct.gov/pr/looney-130115a.php
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* From Wikipedia entry on the Connecticut General Assembly:
Committee system
The General Assembly has 27 committees, all of which are joint committees; that is, their membership includes House and Senate members alike. Several committees have subcommittees, each with their own chair and special focus.
Before most bills are considered in either the House or Senate, they must first go through the committee system. The primary exception to this rule is the emergency certification bill, or "e-cert," which can be passed on the floor without going through committee first. The e-cert isgenerally reserved for use during times of crisis, such as natural disasters or when deadlines are approaching too quickly to delay acti
