Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy plans to ban gun sales to anyone on a government watch list, which would make the New England state the first to limit gun access in response to the San Bernardino terrorist attack.
“Like all Americans, I’ve been horrified by the recent terrorist attacks in California and Paris. This should be a wake-up call for all of us,” Malloy said Thursday. “This is a moment to seize here in America. And today I’m here to say that ‘Connecticut, we are seizing that moment.'”
Malloy’s is seeking information from the federal government on the watch list before signing an executive order barring anyone on a government watch list from receiving the safety permit needed to buy a gun in Connecticut, including handguns, shotguns and any ammunition. Assault weapon sales, Malloy noted, are already banned in Connecticut.
The order adds a review of government watch lists to the background check that public safety officers already perform on anyone seeking a Connecticut gun permit.
“If you cannot fly due to being on a government watch list, you shouldn’t be able to purchase a firearm,” Malloy said.
The proposal is one that President Barack Obama has pushed in response to the San Bernardino shooting — noting that the guns used by both suspects were purchased legally — and Senate Democrats tried unsuccessfully earlier this month to ban gun sales for anyone on a watch list.
Republicans have countered the push with the argument that the federal “no-fly list” has often been inaccurate, causing some instances of mistaken identity.
CORRECTION: This story incorrectly reported that Malloy banned gun sales to anyone on a government watch list. Malloy hasn’t signed the executive order yet.