If you can't carry a gun, you can't possess ammunition.
That's the gist of a bill approved by the Senate Thursday after almost an hour of vigorous debate.
Supporters, most of them Democrats, said the bill closes a loophole in the state's gun laws. "If you are prohibited from owning a firearm, you should not have ammunition," said Sen. Eric Coleman, D-Bloomfield. Among those prohibited from owning a gun are convicted felons, those who are the subject of a restraining order and people with certain mental disabilities.
But critics, mainly Republicans, said its an unnecessary proposal that goes against the deeply held American legal tradition of innocent until proven guilty.
"Ammunition is worthless unless its used in a firearm,'' Sen. Rob Kane, R-Watertown, said. "I think we can all agree on that. I...don't see the harm in possessing the ammunition."
Added Sen. John Kissel, R-Enfield, "at the end of the day, we just have enough of these laws on the books.''
Republicans offered up an amendment that would create a uniform standard for pistol permit applications, but it was roundly rejected by the chamber's Democratic majority.
The ammunition bill passed on a vote of 21 to 13, with Democratic Senators Joan Hartley of Waterbury and Andrew Maynard of Stonington joining with the Republicans in opposition and Republican Senators Kevin Witkos of Canton and Andrew Roraback of Goshen voting with the Democratic majority in favor of the measure.
Witkos, who is a Canton police officer, called the measure "absolutely necessary."
"People that are responsible gun owners generally keep their ammunition separate from their firearm and they do that for a purpose--so the two cannot be combined. We should do the same here in protecting our citizens,'' Witkos said.
