HB 5459

General Assembly  Raised Bill No. 5459
  February Session, 2026  LCO No. 2654
 Referred to Committee on PUBLIC SAFETY AND SECURITY
 Introduced by:
   (PS)
 AN ACT CONCERNING THE VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF
 FIREARMS.
 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
 Assembly convened:
1Section 1. Section 53-202e of the general statutes is repealed and the
2     following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026):
3(a) Any individual may arrange in advance to relinquish an assault
4     weapon to a police department or the Department of Emergency
5     Services and Public Protection. The assault weapon shall be transported
6     in accordance with the provisions of section 53-202f.
7      (b) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, any individual
8    may, at any time, relinquish any firearm owned by such individual to a
9    police department or to the Department of Emergency Services and
10    Public Protection.
11Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 53-202c of the general statutes is
12    repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
13    1, 2026):
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14    (a) Except as provided in subsection (a) of section 53-202e, as
15 amended by this act, any person who, within this state, possesses an
16 assault weapon, except as provided in sections 53-202a to 53-202k,
17 inclusive, and 53-202o, shall be guilty of a class D felony and shall be
18 sentenced to a term of imprisonment of which one year may not be
19 suspended or reduced by the court, except that a first-time violation of
20 this subsection shall be a class A misdemeanor if (1) the person presents
21 proof that such person lawfully possessed the assault weapon (A) prior
22 to October 1, 1993, with respect to an assault weapon described in
23 subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of section 53-202a, (B) on April 4,
24 2013, under the provisions of sections 53-202a to 53-202k, inclusive, in
25 effect on January 1, 2013, with respect to an assault weapon described in
26 any provision of subparagraphs (B) to (F), inclusive, of subdivision (1)
27 of section 53-202a, or (C) on June 5, 2023, under the provisions of
28 sections 53-202a to 53-202k, inclusive, revision of 1958, revised to
29 January 1, 2023, with respect to an assault weapon defined as a 2023
30 assault weapon in section 53-202a, and (2) the person has otherwise
31 possessed the assault weapon in compliance with subsection (f) of
32 section 53-202d.
33    Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 53-202d of the general statutes is
34 repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October
35 1, 2026):
36    (b) (1) No assault weapon, as defined in subparagraph (A) of
37 subdivision (1) of section 53-202a, possessed pursuant to a certificate of
38 possession issued under this section may be sold or transferred on or
39 after January 1, 1994, to any person within this state other than to a
40 licensed gun dealer, as defined in subsection (f) of section 53-202f, or as
41 provided in subsection (a) of section 53-202e, as amended by this act, or
42 by bequest or intestate succession, or, upon the death of a testator or
43 settlor: (A) To a trust, or (B) from a trust to a beneficiary who is eligible
44 to possess the assault weapon.
45    (2) No assault weapon, as defined in any provision of subparagraphs
46 (B) to (F), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of section 53-202a, possessed
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47 pursuant to a certificate of possession issued under this section may be
48 sold or transferred on or after April 5, 2013, to any person within this
49 state other than to a licensed gun dealer, as defined in subsection (f) of
50 section 53-202f, or as provided in subsection (a) of section 53-202e, as
51 amended by this act, or by bequest or intestate succession, or, upon the
52 death of a testator or settlor: (A) To a trust, or (B) from a trust to a
53 beneficiary who is eligible to possess the assault weapon.
54    (3) No 2023 assault weapon possessed pursuant to a certificate of
55 possession issued under this section may be sold or transferred on or
56 after June 6, 2023, to any person within this state other than to a licensed
57 gun dealer, or as provided in subsection (a) of section 53-202e, as
58 amended by this act, or by bequest or intestate succession, or, upon the
59 death of a testator or settlor: (A) To a trust, or (B) from a trust to a
60 beneficiary who is eligible to possess the assault weapon.
  This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
  sections:
  Section 1      October 1, 2026  53-202e
  Sec. 2  October 1, 2026  53-202c(a)
  Sec. 3  October 1, 2026  53-202d(b)
 PS  Joint Favorable
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