Senator William H. Nickerson (R-Greenwich) received a special legislative achievement award from Connecticut Against Gun Violence (CAGV), a non profit citizens group which promotes gun control.  The award was made at a recent CAGV celebration in Greenwich at the home of Leslie and Ashish Bhutani.  The featured guest speaker was Richard Belzer, star of NBC’s “Law and Order” show.  Congressman Christopher Shays also received an award.

Nickerson received the award for his work on passage of Public Act No. 07-163, AN ACT CONCERNING THE REPORTING OF LOST OR STOLEN FIREARMS AND ILLEGAL FIREARMS TRAFFICKING.  The Act requires a gun owner to report that a weapon was stolen within 72 hours after the theft is discovered or should have been discovered.  This is intended to cut down on the traffic in illegal firearms.  Police found that when a firearm is used in a crime and traced back to the original owner, the owner claims “Oh, it must have been stolen,” thus seeking to evade the responsibility for purchasing weapons in order to make an illegal resale of a hand gun which the act makes a felony crime in Connecticut.

Nickerson said, “I am delighted to receive this award from CAGV, which has done an outstanding job in mobilizing public support for needed gun control regulation.  The proliferation of illegal hand gun sales in our society is a clear and present danger.  When an illegal gun sale is made to a buyer who is not authorized to own one, a violent crime is in the offing.  I am proud to stand with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle in supporting this bill which puts Connecticut in the forefront nationally in controlling illegal hand guns.  CAGV played a leading role in its passage by mobilizing public support and providing information to legislators.  I was very pleased to join in their celebration of this joint legislative/public advocacy success.”

Governor Rell signed the new law on June 19, 2007 which took effect on October 1, 2007.