Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Committee hears debate on cross‑state background checks and merchant‑code proposal for firearm retailers
Summary
The Judiciary Committee discussed HB 7137 and a proposal to assign merchant category codes to firearm retailers; researchers urged accounting for neighboring states' laws in background checks while retailers warned MCCs could create a privacy and regulatory minefield.
The Judiciary Committee’s March 12 hearing also included discussion of HB 7137 — a package of provisions that would, at the sponsors’ request, bring some out‑of‑state convictions into Connecticut eligibility decisions for firearm permits — and a separate policy debate about merchant category codes (MCCs) to flag firearm retail transactions.
Jennifer Deneen, associate director of UConn’s ARMS (Advancing Research Methods and Scholarship) Center, told the committee that the research supports considering neighboring states’ laws when crafting purchase and permitting rules because firearms frequently move across borders and state laws can affect each other. "Stronger…
Already have an account? Log in
Subscribe to keep reading
Unlock the rest of this article — and every article on Citizen Portal.
- Unlimited articles
- AI-powered breakdowns of topics, speakers, decisions, and budgets
- Instant alerts when your location has a new meeting
- Follow topics and more locations
- 1,000 AI Insights / month, plus AI Chat
