CT HB05459

Allows any individual to voluntarily relinquish any firearm they own to a local police department or the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection at any time, effective October 1, 2026

Assault weapons require advance arrangements for relinquishment and must be transported according to existing statutory requirements under section 53-202f

Adds voluntary relinquishment to police or DESPP as a legal exception to assault weapon possession restrictions, which otherwise constitute a class D felony with a mandatory one-year minimum sentence

Expands transfer options for assault weapons held under certificates of possession to include relinquishment under the new provisions, alongside existing exceptions for licensed gun dealers, bequests, and trusts