Month: April 2019

Categories
Action Alerts

Your Action Needed To Stop More Antigun Laws in Connecticut

Please contact your State Representative and State Senator, and ask them to oppose the following bills:
You can look up your State Legislators HERE.
Simply enter your address, and then click the name of your State Representative and State Senator to be taken to their official website with contact information.

OPPOSE: S.B. 60 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE PRESENTATION OF A CARRY PERMIT
This is a ‘Stop & Identify’ bill, that requires permit holder to produce their permit any time a law enforcement officer says they see a handgun. Proponents of this bill say it is needed to verify the validity and identification of the permit holder.

Current law requires the permit holder to do so only if the officer also has reasonable suspicion of a crime. The bill removes “reasonable suspicion of a crime” from the current statues that only just passed back in 2015. Proponents say this bill is needed to help diffuse public alarm and unsettling situations when someone is seen exercising their right to carry a firearm in public.

OPPOSE: H.B. 7219 – AN ACT CONCERNING GHOST GUNS
This bill will prohibit anyone from completing the manufacture a firearm without obtaining and engraving a serial number from the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection (DESPP). It also prohibits the manufacturing of polymer guns that are not detectible by metal detectors, which is ALREADY banned by federal law.

The proponents say this will close a loophole that allows unregulated firearms from landing in the hands of dangerous people. But it is already illegal for felons to have firearms in the first place, and it is far more difficult and expensive the manufacture a new firearm than it is to simply grind the serial number off an existing gun, or just simply steal one. Gun control proponents are claiming that firearms not made in a factory pose a safety risk.

OPPOSE: H.B. 7223 – AN ACT CONCERNING THE STORAGE OF A PISTOL OR REVOLVER IN A MOTOR VEHICLE
This bill makes it a class D felony, to store or keep a handgun in an unattended motor vehicle if the firearm is not in a securely locked safe. Proponents are claiming this is a common-sense safety measure that would improve public safety and the security in our communities, by increasing the chances that if a burglar steals the handgun, they cannot access it.

They’re also saying this will send a clear message to gun owners: lock up your firearms when they are not in your immediate control. The problem here is criminals committing illegal car burglaries. The focus should be on criminals and justice reform, not blaming and prosecuting (with a felony) the victim of the crime. Please, take a moment of your time to email your state legislators and ask them to oppose these bills.

Categories
Meeting

Monthly Member Meeting – Tuesday, March 12, 2019

CALL TO ORDER

General Meeting of Connecticut Citizens Defense League was held on March 12, 2019 at Elks Lodge 44 Maynard Street, Middletown CT.  The meeting began at 7:00 PM and was presided over by Scott Wilson, with Cheryl Lemos as secretary. The meeting opened with the National Anthem and the Pledge of Allegiance.

 

ATTENDEES

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT: Ray Bevis, Chris Lemos, Cheryl Lemos, Scott Wilson, Bob Starr, Holly Sullivan, Walt Kupson, John Beidler, Kris Witherill, Frank Russello, Dominick Basile, Jonathan Hardy,

EXECUTIVE BOARD MEMBERS NOT PRESENT: Michelle McBrien, Robert Chambers, Kevin Holian-Borgnis, Keith Cagle,

GUESTS:     State Rep. Tim Ackert

GENERAL MEMBERSHIP

AGENDA

  • Executive and committee reports
  • Presentation of the Legislator of the Year award
  • Emails to the Judiciary
  • Letter writing campaign
  • Anniversary dinner Wrap-up
  • Hunting and Fishing Show
  • Looking ahead in 2019
  • Brief Open Forum – input from Attendees

OFFICER REPORTS

President’s Report – Scott Wilson
-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call

-Numerous press and radio contacts

-Helped craft alerts and communications with legislators

-Numerous other tasks.

Vice-President’s Report – Chris Lemos

-Worked on the website, blog, social media post, and membership emails.  

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call

Treasurer’s Report – Robert Starr

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call
-Available Funds:

  • People’s Bank Balance (Litigation) = $ 81,317
  • People’s Bank Balance (Operations) = $ 127,038
  • Paypal Balance = $ 1,962

Secretary’s Report – Cheryl Lemos  
-Created minutes for the previous monthly meeting and provided to the Technology Coordinator to post to the website.

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call

COORDINATOR REPORTS

Membership Coordinator – Kris Witherill

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call
-Membership report

-Member Total –     32728

-New Members –    742

 

Events Coordinator – Holly Sullivan

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call

-10th Anniversary dinner was held at La Bella Vista in Waterbury Saturday February 23rd.

 

Legislative Coordinator – Ray Bevis

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call

-Attended the 10th Anniversary Dinner

-Held three Legislative Workshops

Thank you to the Windsor marksmen’s Association, New Haven Sportsman’s Club and the Southington Sportsman’s Association. We had a total of 225 people attend this year’s workshops. That is about 80 more than last year.

-Spoke about pending legislation at: Connecticut Conservation Advisory Council (CCAC), Bloomfield Fish and Game, CCAC/CHEA president’s meeting.

Hand delivered 400 letters from CCDL members to Judiciary Committee members about proposed gun bills. Thank you to Frank -Russello and Brian Corbino for your help with is.

-Drafted Action Alerts.

-Wrote a public hearing guide for members.

-Public Hearing Wrap up: Public Hearing was on March 11, 2019

-Seven Gun Bills were on the agenda’

-The room was full and we were outnumbered by attendees

-The hearing lasted just over 14 hours

-So, far there is over 1,615 written testimonies submitted online. I expect a small amount to still trickle in this week. This seem like a lot and there is defiantly an increase from last year, when compared bill per bill (approx. 30). But I will need time to read through all of them to determine their positions

-A total of 97 people signed up to speak

-There was two incidents during the course of the hearing worth mentioning, The first, is one of our members happened to notice a text that a woman sitting in front of him was writing, the text said, “If I had a gun, I’d blow away Sampson and a large group of NRA”, We alerted Sampson and Police to this, the police interviewed the woman and had her leave the grounds. The Second incident was that the that Jeremy Stein Executive Director of CAGV, used Bridgeport Police Chief as a mule to smuggle in a receiver to use as a prop for the hearing. CCDL has asked the police if we could bring into the LOB and was told “that’s never going to happen”. Stein was removed and questioned, but was allowed to return. Stein said, he asked multiple police officers and was told he could bring it. I know from our experience from our Bump Stock Display at the LOB last year, that’s not how the approval happens, they have to ask their Chief and you tend to be escorted by police from the door to the display, with the understanding that its never to leave the area. Also, all props need prior approval from the committee.

  -Let me remind members that at public hearing there is a decorum, we need to be respectful, we need to refrain from making comments when people are speaking, the room is being live broadcasted and recorded. We DON’T do our cause any justice if we can’t sit quietly and be respectful to others and the process.

-Additional correspondence:

-Answered countless emails and phone calls

-Met with legislators

Merchandise Coordinator – Michelle McBrien (Kris Witherall)

-Attended the Executive Board meeting on 2/26/2019 via conference call
–   March 29, 30, 31 we will have a booth set up at the Hunting and Fishing Show in Hartford

 

Permit Issues Coordinator – Jonathan Hardy

-Discussed current cases at the Board of Pistol Permit

ANNOUNCEMENTS

  • January Food Drive – for nearly eight years, CCDL has collected and distributed food for those in need at our monthly meetings. Thank you to all of our members who generously donated canned goods and other non-perishable items to our January meeting.
  • Letter Writing Campaign – all CCDL members are encouraged to write pro-gun letters to the editors of news organizations.  

MEETING AGENDA DETAILS

  • Executive and committee reports
  • Presentation of the Legislator of the Year award
  • Emails to the Judiciary
  • Letter writing campaign
  • Anniversary dinner Wrap-up
  • Hunting and Fishing Show
  • Looking ahead in 2019
  • Brief Open Forum – input from Attendees

NEXT SCHEDULED MEETING

The next General Meeting of Connecticut Citizens Defense League will held on April 9, 2019 at Elks Lodge 44 Maynard Street, Middletown CT.  The meeting is scheduled to begin at 7:00 PM.

 

ADJOURNMENT

Scott Wilson called the meeting be adjourned at 9:30 pm

MINUTES PREPARED BY

Cheryl Lemos – Secretary CCDL

March 12, 2019