HB05435 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING THE RISK WARRANT FIREARM HOLDING PERIOD.

Firearms

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Judiciary Committee
Last action: 2026-03-05
Official status: Public Hearing 03/11
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The bill text cuts off mid-sentence regarding what happens after the two-year period, though context implies destruction unless transferred under subsection (h).

Act Changing How Long Risk Warrant Firearms Are Kept

This law requires that firearms held under risk protection orders or warrants cannot be destroyed until two years have passed since the person named last asked a court to end the order.

What This Bill Does

Changes the rule on when guns taken under risk warrants can be destroyed.
Requires holding agencies to wait at least two years from the date the person last petitioned the court to terminate the order or warrant before destroying firearms.
Replaces a previous one-year waiting period with this new two-year requirement.

Who It Names or Affects

The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection
Local police departments holding seized weapons on behalf of the commissioner

Terms To Know

Risk warrant: A court order that allows authorities to seize firearms from a person.
Petitioned the court: Made an official request to a judge, such as asking to end an order or warrant.

Limits and Unknowns

The law does not specify what happens if firearms are transferred before the two-year period ends.
It is unclear how multiple petitions within the same timeframe affect the start of the waiting period, as it only mentions the 'last' petition.

Bill History

2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly
Public Hearing 03/11
2026-03-02 Connecticut General Assembly
Referred to Joint Committee on Judiciary

Official Summary Text

To require that any firearm held under a risk protection order or warrant not be destroyed before two years have passed from the date that the person named in the order or warrant last petitioned the court to terminate the order or warrant.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

LCO No. 2216 1 of 2

General Assembly Raised Bill No. 5435
February Session, 2026 LCO No. 2216

Referred to Committee on JUDICIARY

Introduced by:
(JUD)

AN ACT CONCERNING THE RISK WARRANT FIREARM HOLDING
PERIOD.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Subsection (i) of section 29 -38c of the 2026 supplement to 1
the general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu 2
thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 3
(i) Notwithstanding the provisions of section 29 -36k, the 4
Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection holding 5
any firearm or firearms or other deadly weapon or deadly weapons and 6
any ammunition seized pursuant to a warrant issued under this section, 7
or any local police department holding on behalf of said commissioner 8
any such firearm or firearms or other deadly weapon or deadly weapons 9
or ammunition, shall not destroy any such firearm or other deadly 10
weapon or ammunition until [at least one year has passed since date of 11
the termination of a warrant under subsection (e) of this section ] two 12
years have passed since the person named in an order or a warrant last 13
petitioned the court to terminate the order or warrant under subsection 14
(f) of this section. If, after such two-year period, such firearm or firearms 15

Raised Bill No. 5435

LCO No. 2216 2 of 2

or other deadly weapon or deadly weapons or ammunition have not 16
been transferred pursuant to subsection (h) of this section, the 17
commissioner or local police department, as applicable, shall cause such 18
firearm or firearms or other deadly weapon or deadly weapons or 19
ammunition to be destroyed. 20
This act shall take effect as follows and shall amend the following
sections:

Section 1 October 1, 2026 29-38c(i)

Statement of Purpose:
To require that any firearm held under a risk protection order or warrant
not be destroyed before two years have passed from the date that the
person named in the order or warrant last petitioned the court to
terminate the order or warrant.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are indicated by underline, except
that when the entire text of a bill or resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]