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HB05459 • 2026

AN ACT CONCERNING THE VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF FIREARMS.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF FIREARMS.

Firearms
Passed Legislature

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

Sponsor
Public Safety and Security Committee
Last action
2026-03-30
Official status
File Number 254
Effective date
Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material does not provide details on the fate of relinquished firearms or specify how many people will choose to give up their firearms under this new rule.

Voluntary Relinquishment of Firearms

This act allows individuals to voluntarily give up firearms they own, except assault weapons, to police departments or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

What This Bill Does

  • Allows people to hand over their non-assault weapons to local police or the state's emergency services department at any time.

Who It Names or Affects

  • People who own firearms
  • Local police departments and the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection

Terms To Know

Assault weapon
A type of firearm that has specific features making it more dangerous.

Limits and Unknowns

  • Does not specify what happens to the firearms after they are relinquished.
  • The law only applies to Connecticut and does not affect other states.
  • It is unclear how many people will choose to give up their firearms under this new rule.

Bill History

  1. 2026-03-30 LCO

    Reported Out of Legislative Commissioners' Office

  2. 2026-03-30 Connecticut General Assembly

    Favorable Report, Tabled for the Calendar, House

  3. 2026-03-30 Connecticut General Assembly

    House Calendar Number 210

  4. 2026-03-30 LCO

    File Number 254

  5. 2026-03-23 LCO

    Referred to Office of Legislative Research and Office of Fiscal Analysis 03/30/26 12:00 PM

  6. 2026-03-17 PS

    Joint Favorable

  7. 2026-03-17 LCO

    Filed with Legislative Commissioners' Office

  8. 2026-03-05 Connecticut General Assembly

    Public Hearing 03/10

  9. 2026-03-04 Connecticut General Assembly

    Referred to Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security

Official Summary Text

To allow any individual, at any time, to relinquish any firearm owned by such individual to a police department or to the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text 
House of Representatives
HB5459 / File No. 254 1

General Assembly File No. 254
February Session, 2026 House Bill No. 5459

House of Representatives, March 30, 2026

The Committee on Public Safety and Security reported through
REP. BOYD of the 50th Dist., Chairperson of the Committee on
the part of the House, that the bill ought to pass.

AN ACT CONCERNING THE VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF
FIREARMS.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General
Assembly convened:

Section 1. Section 53 -202e of the general statutes is repealed and the 1
following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 1, 2026): 2
(a) Any individual may arrange in advance to relinquish an assault 3
weapon to a police department or the Department of Emergency 4
Services and Public Protection. The assault weapon shall be transported 5
in accordance with the provisions of section 53-202f. 6
(b) Except as provided in subsection (a) of this section, any individual 7
may, at any time, relinquish any firearm owned by such individual to a 8
police department or to the Department of Emergency Services and 9
Public Protection. 10
Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 53 -202c of the general statutes is 11
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 12
HB5459 File No. 254

HB5459 / File No. 254 2

1, 2026): 13
(a) Except as provided in subsection (a) of section 53 -202e, as 14
amended by this act , any person who, within this state, possesses an 15
assault weapon, except as provided in sections 53 -202a to 53 -202k, 16
inclusive, and 53 -202o, shall be guilty of a class D felony and shall be 17
sentenced to a term of imprisonment of which one year may not be 18
suspended or reduced by the court, except that a first-time violation of 19
this subsection shall be a class A misdemeanor if (1) the person presents 20
proof that such person lawfully possessed the assault weapon (A) prior 21
to October 1, 1993, with respect to an assault weapon described in 22
subparagraph (A) of subdivision (1) of section 53 -202a, (B) on April 4, 23
2013, under the provisions of sections 53 -202a to 53 -202k, inclusive, in 24
effect on January 1, 2013, with respect to an assault weapon described in 25
any provision of subparagraphs (B) to (F), inclusive, of subdivision (1) 26
of section 53 -202a, or (C) on June 5, 2023, under the provisions of 27
sections 53 -202a to 53 -202k, inclusive, revision of 1958, revised to 28
January 1, 2023, with respect to an assault weapon defined as a 2023 29
assault weapon in section 53 -202a, and (2) the person has otherwise 30
possessed the assault weapon in compliance with subsection (f) of 31
section 53-202d. 32
Sec. 3. Subsection (b) of section 53 -202d of the general statutes is 33
repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof (Effective October 34
1, 2026): 35
(b) (1) No assault weapon, as defined in subparagraph (A) of 36
subdivision (1) of section 53-202a, possessed pursuant to a certificate of 37
possession issued under this section may be sold or transferred on or 38
after January 1, 1994, to any person within this state other than to a 39
licensed gun dealer, as defined in subsection (f) of section 53-202f, or as 40
provided in subsection (a) of section 53-202e, as amended by this act, or 41
by bequest or intestate succession, or, upon the death of a testator or 42
settlor: (A) To a trust, or (B) from a trust to a beneficiary who is eligible 43
to possess the assault weapon. 44
(2) No assault weapon, as defined in any provision of subparagraphs 45
HB5459 File No. 254

HB5459 / File No. 254 3

(B) to (F), inclusive, of subdivision (1) of section 53 -202a, possessed 46
pursuant to a certificate of possession issued under this section may be 47
sold or transferred on or after April 5, 2013 , to any person within this 48
state other than to a licensed gun dealer, as defined in subsection (f) of 49
section 53-202f, or as provided in subsection (a) of section 53-202e, as 50
amended by this act, or by bequest or intestate succession, or, upon the 51
death of a testator or settlor: (A) To a trust, or (B) from a trust to a 52
beneficiary who is eligible to possess the assault weapon. 53
(3) No 2023 assault weapon possessed pursuant to a certificate of 54
possession issued under this section may be sold or transferred on or 55
after June 6, 2023, to any person within this state other than to a licensed 56
gun dealer, or as provided in subsection (a) of section 53 -202e, as 57
amended by this act, or by bequest or intestate succession, or, upon the 58
death of a testator or settlor: (A) To a trust, or (B) from a trust to a 59
beneficiary who is eligible to possess the assault weapon. 60
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

HB5459 File No. 254

HB5459 / File No. 254 4

The following Fiscal Impact Statement and Bill Analysis are prepared for the benefit of the members of
the General Assembly, solely for purposes of information, summarization and explanation and do not
represent the intent of the General Assembly or either chamber thereof for any purpose. In general,
fiscal impacts are based upon a variety of informational sources, including the analyst’s professional
knowledge. Whenever applicable, agency data is consulted as part of the analysis, however final
products do not necessarily reflect an assessment from any specific department.

OFA Fiscal Note

State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None
Explanation
The bill, which modifies statutes related to the voluntary
relinquishment of firearms, has no fiscal impact.
The Out Years
State Impact: None
Municipal Impact: None

HB5459 File No. 254

HB5459 / File No. 254 5

OLR Bill Analysis
HB 5459

AN ACT CONCERNING THE VOLUNTARY RELINQUISHMENT OF
FIREARMS.

SUMMARY
This bill explicitly allows anyone to relinquish any firearms they own,
other than assault weapons, to a police department or the Department
of Emergency Services and Public Protection. Existing law similarly
allows anyone to do the same for assault weapons, but they must follow
specific transportation requirements and make advance arrangements.
The bill also makes conforming changes.
EFFECTIVE DATE: October 1, 2026
COMMITTEE ACTION
Public Safety and Security Committee
Joint Favorable
Yea 29 Nay 0 (03/17/2026)