For Immediate Release
Sen. Hwang Joins Domestic Violence Prevention Advocates to Defend CT Restraining Order Gun Protection Laws
“I want to be clear on this, the 5th Circuit decision does not alter the law in the State of Connecticut. It is enforced, and it will continue to be enforced.”
– State Senator Tony Hwang
State Senator Tony Hwang (R – Bethel & Newtown) on Feb. 6 joined with families of domestic violence victims, domestic violence prevention advocates, law enforcement professionals, as well as state and federal leaders to reiterate support for Connecticut’s current laws following an unsettling legal decision by the federal Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals.
The ruling in United States v. Rahimi imperils longstanding federal and Connecticut laws that prohibit individuals subject to restraining order or protective order from possessing guns to protect against incidents of deadly domestic violence.
“This is not a partisan issue, it is a public safety and human rights and dignity issue,” Sen. Hwang said. “As a state government, it is imperative that we protect our most vulnerable residents, and women who are victims of intimate partner violence certainly qualify. We have made positive strides in the legislature in recent years to protect victims of domestic violence and to punish offenders. But any potential legal appeal process that leaves the door open for perpetrators to retain or obtain firearms and put women and children at risk is absolutely unacceptable to me.”
Connecticut state law (PA 16-34) passed in 2016 after Lori Jackson was murdered by her estranged husband, now prohibits people with restraining orders or protective orders against them from possessing firearms. However, the Fifth Circuit’s recent ruling calls those laws into question, given its invalidation of a similar federal law as unconstitutional, based on the U.S. Supreme Court’s precedential ruling in New York State Rifle & Pistol Ass’n, Inc. v. Bruen.
Sen. Hwang and domestic violence prevention advocates vowed to protect the law in place here and called the Texas ruling a dangerous and consequential decision and vowed that it will not affect Connecticut law.
“I want to be clear on this, the 5th Circuit decision does not alter the law in the State of Connecticut,” said Senator Hwang. “It is enforced, and it will continue to be enforced.”
Sen. Hwang offered condolences to the family members of Traci-Marie Jones – a recent domestic violence victim from Bethel who was shot and killed by her estranged husband after he obtained a gun in violation of a restraining order.
“Traci-Marie Jones and her surviving family deserve every effort we can make to ensure that our society does not choose guns over the safety of women and children,” Sen. Hwang said.
Sen. Hwang commended those in attendance, including Meghan Scanlon, President and CEO of Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Ashley Dunn, President and CEO of The Center for Empowerment & Education, and Neil Dryfe, Cheshire Chief of Police and President of the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association.
Connecticut’s free, confidential domestic violence hotline can be reached 24/7 at 1-888-774-2900 for services in English and 1-844-831-9200 for services in Spanish.
An overview of Domestic Violence in the United States
- Intimate partner violence accounts for 15% of all violent crimes annually in the United States.
- More than 1 in 3 women and 1 in 4 men have experienced either physical violence, rape, or stalking by an intimate partner in their lifetime. Victims are commonly abused by those who are closest to them.
- Each day in the United States, over 20,000 calls are placed to domestic violence hotlines by individuals reporting incidents.
- On average, 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner. This is an astounding number that shows just how prevalent this is in our society.
- A weapon is used in 19% of domestic violence incidents.
- Women who are victims of intimate partner violence are most likely to be between the ages of 18 to 24.
On the web: SenatorHwang.com.
*Sen. Hwang represents Bethel, Easton, Fairfield, Southport, Newtown and Sandy Hook. Sen. Hwang was honored to be in the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence’s inaugural First 100 Plus Men Honor Roll in 2012.
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