General Assembly

 

Raised Bill No. 1144

January Session, 2013

 

LCO No. 4756

 

*04756_______JUD*

Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY

 

Introduced by:

 

(JUD)

 

AN ACT CONCERNING REBUILT ASSAULT WEAPONS.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (a) of section 53-202c of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013):

(a) Except as provided in section 53-202e, any person who, within this state, possesses any assault weapon, except as provided in sections 29-37j, 53-202a to 53-202k, inclusive, and 53-202o and subsection (h) of section 53a-46a, shall be: [guilty]

(1) Guilty of a class D felony and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of which one year may not be suspended or reduced, [;] except that a first-time violation of this [subsection] subdivision shall be a class A misdemeanor if [(1)] (A) the person presents proof that he lawfully possessed the assault weapon prior to October 1, 1993, and [(2)] (B) the person has otherwise possessed the firearm in compliance with subsection (d) of section 53-202d, and

(2) Guilty of a class C felony and shall be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of which two years may not be suspended or reduced if such person violates the provisions of this section by possessing an assault weapon assembled from a part or any combination of parts that include a part bearing a serial number of an assault weapon for which a certificate of possession was issued, if (A) such assault weapon does not match the description filed pursuant to section 53-202d with respect to the certificate of possession and (B) such person knew or reasonably should have known that a certificate of possession was issued with respect to such serial number.

Sec. 2. Subdivision (2) of subsection (a) of section 53-202a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013):

(2) A part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon, as defined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, or any combination of parts from which an assault weapon, as defined in subdivision (1) of this subsection, may be [rapidly] assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person;

Sec. 3. Subdivision (4) of subsection (a) of section 53-202a of the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2013):

(4) A part or combination of parts designed or intended to convert a firearm into an assault weapon, as defined in subdivision (3) of this subsection, or any combination of parts from which an assault weapon, as defined in subdivision (3) of this subsection, may be [rapidly] assembled if those parts are in the possession or under the control of the same person.

This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following sections:

Section 1

October 1, 2013

53-202c(a)

Sec. 2

October 1, 2013

53-202a(a)(2)

Sec. 3

October 1, 2013

53-202a(a)(4)

Statement of Purpose:

To establish an enhanced penalty for any person who knowingly rebuilds a banned assault weapon with a part that bears a serial number from an assault weapon for which a certificate of possession was issued and that was lawfully possessed prior to 1994.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not underlined.]