(HARTFORD, CT) – Governor Ned Lamont today announced that he has signed legislation he proposed earlier this year that enacts a new state law prohibiting the sale and importation of handguns that can easily be converted into fully automatic machine guns, addressing a recent increase seen nationwide in which firearms have been designed in a way that enables them to become automatic weapons with the use of a simple conversion device that's about the size of a Lego.
Under the legislation, a convertible pistol is any semiautomatic pistol with a cruciform trigger bar that can be readily altered by hand or with a common household tool so that the pistol can be converted into a machine gun by installing or attaching a pistol converter. Violations of this new law are a class D felony, punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine of up to $5,000, or both.
Firearms that can be readily converted into automatic weapons are particularly concerning because they enable a single individual to discharge a high volume of rounds in a very short period of time. This capability can dramatically increase the potential for mass casualty incidents and complicate the ability of law enforcement to respond safely and effectively. Machine guns are illegal in every state, including Connecticut.
“This new law holds manufacturers to a basic safety standard requiring firearms not to be designed in a way that enables them to be converted into machine guns,” Governor Lamont said. “Our gun violence prevention laws need to keep up with what’s going on in the world as far as it relates to emerging technologies and the development of weapons that enable criminals to easily circumvent these laws with the intention of inflicting mass harm. This is a commonsense law that prioritizes public safety while respecting the rights of responsible gun owners. With the lack of action on gun violence prevention measures being passed by Congress, it is up to the individual states to enact laws like these. I appreciate the members of the Connecticut General Assembly for voting to approve this legislation and sending it to my desk so that I could sign it into law.”
Between 2019 and 2023, the U.S. Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives recovered more than 31,000 machine gun conversion devices. The Hartford Police Department reports that in their city alone, their officers seized 51 of these switches between 2023 and 2024.
In addition to receiving the support of the state’s leading gun violence prevention groups, the legislation was endorsed by the Connecticut Police Chiefs Association, which provided written testimony urging its approval.
The legislation is Public Act 26-41.
Governor Lamont’s strong legacy of enacting commonsense gun violence prevention laws
This legislation builds on Governor Lamont’s commitment of enacting commonsense gun violence prevention laws.
In 2019, he signed Public Act 19-5—known as Ethan’s Law—which closes a loophole in state statutes regarding the safe storage of firearms in homes. It was sought by Kristin and Michael Song, the parents of Ethan Song, 15, who was shot and killed in 2018 while handling a pistol at a neighbor’s house. At the time of the shooting, it was a class D felony to improperly store a firearm or leave it where a minor could get access without permission of a parent or guardian, but only if that stored gun was loaded. Prosecutors found no evidence to show that the gun was loaded at the time it was accessed, so the owner was not charged with a crime.
Additionally, that year he signed Public Act 19-6, which regulates unserialized, homemade firearms, commonly known as ghost guns. The law requires these firearms to have unique serial numbers obtained from the state that must be engraved on the weapons; the devices must be registered with the state; a background check must be performed for serialization; and it makes it illegal to sell or transfer these homemade guns.
In 2023, Governor Lamont signed Public Act 23-53, which is one of the most comprehensive gun safety laws approved in Connecticut over the last decade. Among its major provisions, the legislation bans the open carrying of firearms in public (concealed carry still allowed with permit); prohibits the bulk purchasing of firearms by limiting handgun sales to three per month to an individual and six per month to a certified instructor; expands the state’s existing safe storage laws to include all situations, not only those in which a minor or prohibited person may gain access; and sets more stringent bail, probation, and parole conditions for serious, repeat firearm offenders.
In 2025, Governor Lamont signed Public Act 25-43, which requires gun manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to establish, implement, and enforce reasonable controls to prevent the sale of guns to straw purchasers, traffickers, those who are prohibited by law from possessing guns, and those who are at risk of self-harm or illegal use. It also enables victims of gun violence to bring civil actions against gun manufacturers, distributors, and retailers that fail to implement reasonable safeguards to ensure their products do not fall into the wrong hands.