Sandy Hook Commission Sends Interim Report to Governor

Gov. Dannel Malloy said Monday he had received an interim report from the Sandy Hook Advisory Commission, the group he convened in January to explore legislative responsed to the 12/14 shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"The interim report from the commission represents another step in identifying the policies and laws that will make our children and, indeed, our entire state safer," said Malloy. "The commission’s recommendations on school safety are especially worthy of consideration this session as we negotiate the biennial budget, and I look forward to working with legislative leaders to implement such measures."

Malloy has proposed a similar set of what he says are "strong, common-sense measures," including universal background checks, requirements on storing guns, restrictions on magazine size and a ban on the "sale or purchase" of the kinds of weapons used in the Sandy Hook shooting, weapons capable of firing more than 10 rounds without reloading.

Malloy said he would not go as far as to suggest a ban on possession of such weapons, which members of the commission recommended in the report.

"The Commission takes seriously the rights afforded under the Second Amendmentof the United States Constitution, but balances those rights against the language of the Preambleto the Constitution, which includes assurances of 'domestic tranquility' and the obligation to 'promote the general welfare,'" the report said in justifying the call, which would also ban armor-piercing bullets.

The commission acknowledged some sporting events use high-capacity magazines and weapons, but said "[t]he spirit of sportsmanshipcan be maintained with lower capacity magazines."

"While I appreciate their hard work, I want to be very clear on one point – I do not support, and will not advocate for, the confiscation of firearms by law abiding citizens," said Malloy in a statement last week.

In Monday's statement, he added, "[T]heir views, along with the views of the staunchest defenders of the Second Amendment, have a place in this conversation."

Chaired by Hamden Mayor Scott Jackson, the commission has heard nearly 40 hours of testimony from experts in the fields of school safety and gun violence since its inception in January. In its next meeting, scheduled for Friday, it will hear from mental health experts.

The 16-page interim report is attached as a PDF to this article.