Letter from Senator Chris Dodd on Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill

August 10, 2009
Mr. Robert Crook
408 Copse Rd
Madison, Connecticut 06443
Dear Mr. Crook:
Thank you for contacting me regarding concealed-carry reciprocity legislation. I appreciate hearing from you on this important issue.

I understand your concerns regarding gun control. I recognize that responsible gun ownership has long been part of America's heritage. However, I also firmly believe that it is the obligation of government to pursue responsible policies that protect innocent Americans, particularly children, from gun violence. In my view, far too many people are killed or seriously injured by guns each year. Data from the National Center for Injury Prevention and Control indicate that in 2006, there were 30,896 deaths resulting from gun-related incidents, including 4,064 deaths of persons who were under the age of 21 and 185 deaths of children under 12 years of age. Throughout my career in public service, I have chosen to support gun safety legislation that balances the need to keep our communities safe with the legitimate interests of law-abiding gun owners.

As you know, during Senate consideration of S. 1390, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2010, Senator John Thune (R-SD) offered an amendment that would have allowed individuals who are licensed to carry concealed firearms in their own states to do so in other states where this practice is legal. Ultimately, this amendment failed to garner the three-fifths majority it needed to pass. Please be assured that I will keep your views in mind should similar legislation be considered by the full Senate in the future. [He voted against it, lost by two votes.]

Thank you again for contacting me. If you would like to stay in touch with me on this and other issues of importance, please visit my website at http://dodd.senate.gov and subscribe to receive my regular e-mail issue alerts. Please do not hesitate to contact me again if I may be of assistance to you in any way.

Sincerely,
CHRISTOPHER J. DODD
United States Senator

NEW CT Hunting & Trapping Regulations

On Wednesday, July 29, 2009, the Legislature's Regulations Review Committee approved the DEP regulations package affecting hunting, trapping and falconry. The regulations will be effective upon filing with the Secretary of the State.

As a reminder, the new regulations will:
1) Eliminate the interview process for physically disabled persons to obtain a crossbow permit;
2) Eliminate orange requirements for bowhunting on state lands that are designated as archery-only;
3) Allow crossbows on private lands in Deer Management Zones 11 and 12 during the January season;
4) Remove the 3 shell limit for hunters during the September goose season;
5) Eliminate the season bag limit on beaver and extend the trapping season to March 31;
6) Move the fisher trapping season to December and increase the season bag limit from 2 to 4;
7) Move the spring turkey season forward by one week to start on the last Wednesday in April;
8) End the spring turkey season on the last Saturday in May;
9) Allow spring turkey hunters to obtain both a state land and private land permit;
10) Establish a second junior turkey hunting training day and extend the hunting hours on junior turkey hunting training days to 5:00pm;

11) Extend the private land muzzleloader deer season to the end of December;
12) Create a second junior deer hunting training day;
13) Allow deer hunters on private land to use a bow during the shotgun/rifle season;
14) Accommodate automated licensing regarding the tagging of deer and turkey and methods of reporting harvest; and
15) Amend the falconry regulations to redefine hybrid raptors the same way that the federal laws do, to change the permit duration and reporting requirements to a June-July calendar year, and to change the fee for a non-resident falconry permit from $75.00 to $14.00 annually.