Looney, Duff (opinion): When it’s a matter of safety and security, trust Democrats

The day after the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, that killed 19 children and two adults, Democrat Beto O’Rourke appeared at Republican Gov. Greg Abbott’s press conference to tell Abbott he was “doing nothing” to save the children of Texas from some future, similar fate.

That angered Texas Republicans, of course, but Beto is right, especially considering the number of pro-gun laws passed recently by Texas’ Republican-controlled state legislature.

For example: Texas business owners can’t restrict their own employees from keeping guns in their cars on private property. College students can carry guns in a dorm, a classroom or any other campus building. And you don’t need any special training or a permit to carry a handgun (thereby erasing the previous law requiring fingerprints, six hours of training and a proficiency test).

In Connecticut, we do things differently — well, at least Democrats do. It’s one of the reasons why the Giffords Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence ranks Connecticut’s gun safety laws as third-best in the country (a grade of A-), with a gun death rate that’s ranked 45th-lowest in America. Texas is ranked 36th for its gun laws (an F), and 26th in the nation for gun deaths per 100,000 residents (more than twice as many people are killed in Texas every year with handguns than in Connecticut).

Letter grades are important when trying to gauge the effectiveness of a particular state or political party when it comes to firearms and public safety. So what we’re about to tell you may shock you.

We looked back over 15 years of firearms legislation in Connecticut and found that, on eight important bills, 93 percent of Democrats on average voted to support those bills (a grade of A-) while only 38 percent of Republicans did (an F). Republicans also repeatedly voted against bills that local police departments said they needed to protect police officers and the public.

Here’s a brief synopsis of those bills, with the percentage of each party who voted for it:

2007, “An Act Concerning The Reporting Of Lost Or Stolen Firearms And Illegal Firearms Trafficking,” supported by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association and signed by Gov. Jodi Rell, who declared it would “stem the tide of stolen guns used in crimes.” 77 percent Democrats = C+, 38 percent Republicans = F

2013, “An Act Concerning Gun Violence Prevention And Children’s Safety,” the post-Sandy Hook school shooting bill. 88 percent Democrats = B+, 39 percent Republicans = F

2016, “An Act Protecting Victims Of Domestic Violence,” people subject to temporary restraining orders cannot buy a firearm. Supported by multiple Connecticut police departments and domestic violence organizations. 98 percent Democrats = A+, 31 percent Republicans = F

2018, “An Act Concerning Bump Stocks And Other Means Of Enhancing The Rate Of Fire Of A Firearm,” passed after the 2017 Las Vegas massacre that killed 60 people and wounded 411. Supported by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association. 98 percent Dems = A+, 51 percent Republicans = F

2019, “An Act Concerning Ghost Guns,” homemade, untraceable weapons that are increasingly used in shootings across Connecticut. Supported by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association. 98 percent Democrats = A+, 42 percent Republicans = F.

2019, “An Act Concerning The Storage Of A Pistol Or Revolver In A Motor Vehicle.” 92 percent Dems = A, 22 percent Republicans = F

2019, “An Act Concerning The Safe Storage Of Firearms In The Home And Firearm Safety Programs In Public Schools,” known as “Ethan’s Law,” named after the 15-year-old Guilford boy who was accidentally killed at a friend’s house with an improperly stored gun. 99 percent Democrats = A+, 76 percent Republicans = C

2021, “An Act Concerning Risk Protection Orders Or Warrants And Disqualifiers For Firearm Permits And Eligibility Certificates,” allows adult family members and medical professionals to petition police and the courts for the removal of a firearm if they fear someone is a harm to themselves or others. 96 percent Dems = A, 3 percent Republicans = F

This list is not exhaustive, but it’s illuminating: When it comes to public safety and representing the wishes of police, Connecticut Democrats are the “A” students. Republicans, on the other hand, are not only abject failures on the subject of firearms safety, they repeatedly reject the wishes of Connecticut police in favor of catering to far-right fringe groups who equate firepower with freedom.

As we’ve seen in Texas, it’s a recipe for disaster when Republicans have their fingers on the trigger of firearms policy. But fortunately for Connecticut families and their kids, when it comes to the matter of public safety that gun laws so often address, Democrats have proven themselves to be on your side time and again. And we will continue to do so, despite any opposition.

State Senate President Pro Tempore Martin Looney, of New Haven, represents the 11th District. Senate Majority Leader Bob Duff, of Norwalk, represents the 25th District.