"Ethan's Law" Given Great Chance To Pass in State Legislature

GUILFORD, CT - The gun control bill that people on all sides seem to agree has the best chance of becoming law before the end of the General Assembly in a few weeks is "Ethan's Law" - which overwhelmingly passed the Judiciary Committee with bipartisan support a few weeks ago.

The Old Judiciary Room in the state Capitol was jammed Tuesday with advocates as speakers spoke about three bills in particular that they believe will make Connecticut, who many call a leader in gun control legislation, continue in that role.

And proponents were heartened by the words of Gov. Ned Lamont, who told them when and if the legislature passes the bills, “I will sign them the first day.”

Those bills include:

“Ethan’s Law” — which would would require all firearms, loaded and unloaded, to be safely stored in homes occupied by minors under 18 years of age. The bill would allow prosecutors to criminally charge the owner of a gun that isn’t properly stored.

Connecticut’s current safe storage law only requires that loaded firearms be properly stored “if a minor is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission of the parent or guardian of the minor.”

Ethan Song, of Guilford, died of a self-inflicted gunshot. The 15-year-old accidentally shot himself in the head in January of 2018, the Waterbury state’s attorney’s office said after concluding its investigation.

A juvenile friend of Ethan’s was charged with second-degree manslaughter in the death.

Ethan’s parents, Kristin and Mike Song, have become nationally known advocates for stronger gun storage laws since their son’s death. They are hoping Congress in Washington will pass national legislation modeled after Connecticut’s bill.

A second bill being pushed is one banning so-called “ghost guns,” which are essentially homemade firearms.

Those pushing gun safety laws “ghost guns” are particularly dangerous since there has been no inspection process and the weapons don’t have a serial number. They also aren’t recorded as a gun sale, making them impossible to trace if the firearm is used in a crime, lawmakers claim.

A third bill would require owners of pistols and revolvers to store their weapons in a locked container any time they leave their gun in an unattended vehicle. Tougher laws in this area might serve as a deterrent to weapons being stolen from vehicles, proponents claim.

“Ethan’s Law,” as was the case during the public hearing phase of the gun bills in front of the Judiciary Committee, drew the lion’s share of the attention of Tuesday’s press conference.

Referring to the bill, Lamont said it must become law. “These are accidents that are tragic - they can’t happen in our state.”

Pointing to the large number of women wearing “Moms Demand Action” shirts in the audience, Lamont told them: “Do not let us forget.”

Tuesday’s event was coordinated by Everytown for Gun Safety and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America.

Everytown is the largest gun violence prevention organization in the country with more than 5 million supporters; Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America is a grassroots movement of Americans that lobbies for public safety measures that can protect people from gun violence.

Ethan’s mom, Kristin, as she did during the public hearing on the bill, had many Tuesday in tears as she talked about the death of her son and her family’s effort since then.

Noting that it’s been 20 years since the deadly shooting at Columbine High School, Kristin Song said not nearly enough has been done in the country to stem gun violence.

She also had a message to those on social media who have blamed her and her family for Ethan’s death, for not knowing he had been playing with guns, even before his death.

“I’ve been told it’s my fault,” Kristin Song said. “I’ve been trolled on social media.

“You know what I say - bring it on. It makes more determined,” she said as the crowd loudly cheered her on while others stopped to give her a hug.

Of all the gun bills passed by Judiciary, “Ethan’s Law” is the one that passed with the most bipartisan support.

Rep. Vincent Candelora, R-North Branford, noted that he hasn’t back gun control bills in the legislature in the past, but that when he reviewed the safe storage bill with the Song family and legislators from the shoreline area he believed it was good legislation.

“This issue does not have to be divisive,” Candelora said. “People on both sides of the issue can come together for a common cause.”

Referring to the “ghost gun” bill, Senate President Martin Looney, D-New Haven, said the legislation is a good reminder that Connecticut cannot rest on its laurels when it comes to passing good gun control measures.

“There are always new challenges, partially driven by new technology,” Looney said, referring to the fact that parts of ghost guns are bought on the Internet. “We have to be constantly vigilant.”

Looney also had a message to those who oppose tougher gun regulations because, they say, he said, that it infringes on the Second Amendment.

“They are misreading the Constitution,” Looney said, stating there is no such thing as an “absolute right” in any Amendment of the Constitution. He said that’s what the phrase “reasonable regulation” means, and why “you can’t yell fire in a crowded theater,” and claim your free speech is protected.

The president of largest Second Amendment organization in Connecticut, Connecticut Citizens Defense League President Scott Wilson, in a statement said the legislature’s focus is misdirected.

“What society and lawmakers should be focused on is the root causes of violence and the crimes associated with it,” Wilson said. “People steal guns and people commit violence acts, inanimate objects do not.”

Wilson added: “We all want a safer environment to live in, making it even harder for law abiding citizens to possess firearms is the wrong approach. We urge our lawmakers to protect our Second Amendment rights.”