Updates to CT's Red Flag Law Take Effect

June 1, 2022

Last year, I led the passage of critical updates to our "Red Flag" law, otherwise known as its Risk Warrant or Risk Protection Order statute, to better protect our residents, families, and communities from gun violence. Key provisions of this law took effect today.

Today, I was pleased to discuss the major changes we made to our "Red Flag" law with CT Public. 

Public Act 21-67 makes Connecticut's Risk Protection Order more flexible by:

  • Permitting family or household members, and certain medical professionals to petition a state court for a Risk Warrant or Risk Protection Order to temporarily remove firearms from an individual who may pose as a danger to themselves or others.
  • Preventing individuals whose firearms are removed from purchasing or acquiring additional firearms or ammunition when they are otherwise lawfully able to do so.
  • Removing the expiration date of the Risk Warrant to require individuals to apply to have the order revoked

Relevant forms to petition state courts for a risk warrant are available on the CT Judicial Branch's website using the following links.

In the wake of the recent tragedies in New York and Texas, it is particularly poignant to highlight how our state continues to lead on gun reform while our federal lawmakers consistently choose not to act. 

Connecticut originally enacted its groundbreaking Risk Protection Order statute in 1999 after a mass shooting at the Connecticut Lottery. It was once a historic law, but since then, 19 states and Washington D.C. have since passed more comprehensive and proactive legislation. 

I introduced the concept for this law last year to include those best practices and close technical loopholes in the statute to make our statute one of the strongest in the nation. When the bill went to the floor of the House of Representatives and Senate for a vote, only 2 Republicans voted in favor of it - mirroring the paralysis at the federal level. 

Our "Red Flag" law has helped prevent about 78 suicides from 1999 to 2013. This is just one of the common sense, life-saving solutions our state has enacted to combat gun violence. 

I will continue to work alongside my legislative colleagues, advocates, and community leaders to build upon these efforts to make our towns and cities safer for everyone.