HB 7137 Connecticut House · 2025 Regular Session

AN ACT CONCERNING A CONVICTION IN ANOTHER JURISDICTION AS A DISQUALIFIER FOR A CARRY PERMIT OR FIREARMS ELIGIBILITY OR AMMUNITION CERTIFICATE.

HB 7137 expands firearm eligibility restrictions by adding out-of-state misdemeanor convictions to existing disqualifiers for carry permits, firearms eligibility, or ammunition certificates. It prohibits issuing these permits if an applicant has a misdemeanor conviction in another state for specific offenses - including violent crimes, certain drug violations (excluding minor cannabis offenses under 4oz), or crimes causing fear for safety - within the preceding seven years. The bill modifies existing law to include convictions from "another state, a federal, tribal or military court or any foreign jurisdiction" as disqualifying factors. This change directly affects individuals applying for firearm permits who have recent misdemeanor convictions outside Connecticut. The policy takes effect October 1, 2025.

Issues: ✗ Criminal Justice

Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Mar 2025

Committee Review

Floor Vote

Governor

Introduced Mar 4, 2025 Last action Apr 28, 2025

Maddy AI version diff · 1 comparison

What changed between versions

Raised Bill → JUD Joint Favorable Substitute · 7 edits

MODERATE

This bill was revised from a 'Raised Bill' to a 'Joint Favorable Substitute' version, incorporating significant changes to disqualifying conditions for firearm permits. The most important substantive change narrows the scope of criminal convictions that disqualify applicants, reducing the lookback period from 20 years to 7 years and limiting disqualifying crimes to specific violent offenses and controlled substance possession rather than all misdemeanors.

Scope change

The bill's scope was narrowed to remove the requirement for a merchant category code for firearms retailers, and the disqualifying criteria for firearm permits were significantly modified to be more restrictive regarding which past convictions permanently or temporarily bar permit holders.

SCOPE

Removed language establishing a merchant category code for firearms or ammunition retailers, simplifying the bill's focus to conviction-based disqualifiers only.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed the disqualifying conviction period from a 20-year lookback to a 7-year lookback for misdemeanor convictions in other states, federal, tribal, or military courts.

Narrowed disqualifying crimes from any misdemeanor to specific categories including crimes of violence causing physical injury, crimes creating risk of serious physical injury, crimes causing death through criminal negligence, crimes involving threats, riot-related crimes, and possession of controlled substances (with cannabis, psilocybin, and nicotine exceptions).

Removed the disqualification provision for misdemeanor violations of section 53a-58, 53a-61, 53a-61a, 53a-62, 53a-63, 53a-96, 53a-175, 53a-176, 53a-178, or 53a-181d, replacing them with the new, more specific violent crime categories.

Removed the disqualification provision for delinquent juvenile offenses committed in other states, federal, tribal, or military courts, keeping only serious juvenile offenses defined under state law.

Added a specific exception for firearms seizure orders issued prior to June 1, 2022, and included risk protection orders as a disqualifying condition.

TECHNICAL

Changed the bill designation from 'Raised Bill No. 7137' to 'Substitute Bill No. 7137' and updated the page count from 12 to 9 pages.

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Committee

Apr 10, 2025

Lower · Passed

Joint Favorable Substitute

lower

Mar 4, 2025

Committee

REF. TO JOINT COMM. ON Judiciary

lower

0 primary · 0 co-sponsors

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