HARTFORD — State Representative Fred Camillo (R-151) has been chosen to serve as this year’s Co-chair of CancerCare’s Walk/Run for hope. Walkers and runners of all levels and ages are invited to participate in the annual Walk/Run for Hope on Sunday, May 5^th at Greenwich Point.  This event brings together friends and families to walk or run in memory of those they have lost to cancer, honor survivors and support those who are currently facing the disease.

Laura Augustyn will serve beside Rep. Camillo as the other Co-chair. They have both found CancerCare support services to be invaluable. “I recently became aware of the services after my diagnosis and witnessed in my travels just how vital the services that CancerCare provides can be. While I have not used the service, I know many have and many more will, said Rep. Camillo.

The 5K course is USATF-certified and runs through Tod’s Point. The event is part of the Betteridge Greenwich Cup, and is presented by the Hospital for Special Surgery and hosted by Threads and Treads. Lindsay Czarniak from ESPN will be the emcee.

Registration fees for the event are $35 for adults ($40 after April 29) and $10 for children 12 and under. All participants will receive a commemorative Walk/Run for Hope t-shirt. Awards will be presented to the top male and female participants in both the overall race and age-based categories.

Both individuals and teams can participate by registering at www.cancercare.org/walkgreenwich.

The Walk/Run for Hope raises funds to support CancerCare’s professional support services in Connecticut. These services are offered free-of-charge to anyone affected by cancer, and include professional counseling, support groups, education, workshops and financial assistance.

The event will take place rain or shine – so people should come on out, have some fun and help make a difference!

CONTACT: Jennifer Keller / Special Events Manager / (203) 854-9911 / JKeller@cancercare.org / www.cancercare.org

There are many misconceptions out there about what this bill does. I hope that this FAQ section will clear up any further questions you have. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to my office if you have any further questions.

Assault Weapons

Q. How many guns are banned?

A. The bill lists a number of specific firearms that upon passage of the bill will no longer be available for purchase in Connecticut. It will be unlawful to possess these firearms unless you owned the firearms before the effective date of the bill, and you apply for a certificate of possession to have them.

Q. What types of rifles are banned?

A. The bill adds rifles with the following features to the assault weapons ban: Any semiautomatic centerfire rifles (regardless of when they are manufactured) that accept a detachable magazine and have any one of the following: (1) folding or telescopic stock, (2) a grip that is below the action of the weapon (this does NOT include any grip behind the action), (3) forward grip, (4) a flash suppressor or a grenade or flare launcher. It also limits semiautomatic centerfire rifles that have a fixed magazine with the ability to accept more than ten rounds or any semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less than 30 inches.

Q. What types of handguns are banned?

A. The bill adds handguns with the following features to the assault weapons ban: Semiautomatic pistols (regardless of when they are manufactured) with a detachable magazine and have any one of the following: (1) An ability to accept a detachable magazine that attaches at some location outside of the pistol grip, (2) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward pistol grip or silencer, (3) a shroud, or (4) a second hand grip. It also limits any semiautomatic pistol that has a fixed magazine that accepts more than ten rounds.

Q. What types of shotguns are banned?

A. The bill adds shotguns with the following features to the assault weapons ban: Semiautomatic shotguns that have BOTH a folding or telescopic stock and a grip that is below the action of the weapon. Semiautomatic shotguns that are capable of accepting a detachable magazine will now be banned. In addition, shotguns with a revolving cylinder will also be illegal.

Q. Are any rimfire rifles banned?

A. Rimfire rifles are not affected by the new law. There are semiautomatic pistols that fire rimfire ammunition that may fit within the definition of an assault weapon depending on the features of such pistol.

Q. My firearm now qualifies as an assault weapon, can I keep it?

A. Yes. The ban is for prospective sales and transfers only. Persons who lawfully possess a newly designated assault weapon will have until January 1, 2014 to apply for a certificate of possession for that firearm.

Q. What will the impact of the banned weapons be to the gun industry in Connecticut?

A. Manufacturers of assault weapons located in Connecticut will be able to continue to engage in the manufacturing of assault weapons in this state. Manufacturers may also continue to sell rimfire rifles, shotguns and rifles that meet our new definition. Section 53-202i of the Connecticut General Statutes expressly exempts the assault ban provisions from the manufacture of such weapons.

Q. What are penalties if registration or an assault weapon certificate not done?

A. People in possession of newly designated assault weapons who fail to register their firearms will have committed a Class A misdemeanor for a first time violation. Subsequent violations of the law will be classified as a Class D felony.

Q. Will antique weapons firearms be subject to the assault weapons ban?

A. The current definition of what constitutes an antique firearm remains unchanged under the bill.

Magazines

Q. What are the limits on detachable magazines? How many rounds can I carry?

A. Upon passage of the bill, you will no longer be able to purchase detachable magazines that accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition in Connecticut. If prior to passage, you own detachable magazines that accept more than 10 rounds of ammunition you may keep those magazines as long as you file a declaration of possession with the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection. The declaration will let the Department know you lawfully possessed the large capacity magazines before the bill went into effect.

Persons who lawfully possess large capacity magazines prior to the passage of the bill can carry their magazines at home and at target ranges or shooting clubs filled to capacity. The magazines may also be used at a person’s place of business or other property owned by that person as long as the magazine does not contain more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Large capacity magazines can also be transported between these places if they contain no more than 10 rounds of ammunition.

Q. Does the large capacity magazine ban consider cartridge size?

A. No. The law prohibits the sale and transfer of all large capacity magazines, regardless of cartridge size, that can accept more than 10 bullets.

Q. What are the penalties for failing to declare my magazines?

A. Persons who are in lawful possession of large capacity magazines (magazines that exceed 10 rounds of bullets) that have been acquired prior to the effective date of the bill will have until January 1, 2014 to declare each large capacity magazine. Failure to declare any large capacity firearms past that date will have committed an infraction for a first offense and a Class D felony for subsequent offenses.

Long Gun Elegibility Certificate

Q. What is a long gun?

A. Long gun are shotguns, rifles and firearms other than pistols and revolvers.

Q. What will I need in order to purchase a long gun?

A. After April 1, 2014, you will need a pistol permit, an eligibility certificate, or a long gun eligibility certificate to purchase a long gun in Connecticut.

The new long gun eligibility certificate is similar to the existing eligibility certificate. To apply for a long gun eligibility certificate, a person must be 18 or older, successfully complete a firearms safety course and background check, and must not have been involuntarily confined to a hospital for a psychiatric disability within the past 5 years or voluntarily confined to a hospital for a psychiatric disability within the past 6 months.

Q. Will those who currently own a long gun be required to undergo retroactive “universal” background checks?

A. Only those who possessed newly designated assault weapons prior to passage of the bill will have to apply for a certificate of possession for assault weapons. The application for the certificate of possession requires a background check.

Q. Is there a fee for the long gun eligibility certificate?

A. The long gun eligibility certificate will cost $35.

Dear Constituents and Friends,

Many of you have been wondering why I have not voted on bills in the past couple of months. Due to a medical issue that has so far required two operations and will further require future treatments later this month, my work has been confined to my home. As I have another important pre-treatment medical appointment scheduled for Wednesday, I will not be present to vote on this week’s gun legislation.

The volume of calls and emails I have received on the gun control issue, as well as several other proposals, has prompted me to send this letter out so that it may reach many more than I would be able to speak with via phone or email.

I want to assure all of you that I am in touch with colleagues on both sides of the aisle. Thanks to them, legislation that I have introduced is proceeding due to their good will, friendship, and kindness. I am grateful that many other legislative issues have been relayed to me and my thoughts and views on them have been shared.

Please know that I continue to welcome calls and visits from anyone desiring to discuss issues, bills, or concerns that they may have. My home number is 203.344.9336.

Thank you for your patience, support, and good wishes.

As always, my best,

Fred

HARTFORD — The Connecticut General Assembly’s committee on Transportation has drafted a bill to enhance protection for fire police personnel that are required to direct traffic. Originally put forth by State Rep. Fred Camillo (R-151), the bill would make it an infraction for not obeying traffic signals given by fire police officers. Camillo submitted the original version of the bill to the Transportation committee; it received such high approval that it was adopted by the committee. Now, Camillo strongly supports the bill as a Co-Sponsor.

The inspiration for this bill came from Peter Sachs, Attorney and Captain of the Branford Fire Police. There was also an incident in Camillo’s own district that added to the importance of raising the bill. During a severe storm in early August of 2011, a man ignored Fire Police warnings and walked directly under a live wire that had been snapped in half. The surrounding streets were closed to traffic. Rather than heading the warnings of the fire police officer, the man walked under the live wire, got in his car and attempted to drive past the Fire Police Officer. Instead, he hooked the man onto his mirror and dragged him about 20 feet before the Officer could set himself free. He suffered minor injuries

“The Fire Police are the ones we see protecting the First Responders. When they give traffic signals at an accident scene or fire, they and the public need to know that they do so with the legal authority that carries with it consequences of disobeying these signals. It is very important to public safety that this authority is granted to those who are putting themselves in harm’s way so that the public is protected without interference or chaos,” said Rep. Camillo.

The bill (HB 5252) was referred to the joint committee on transportation. Because it has been drafted by the committee it has a significant chance of being put into law by the Connecticut General Assembly. If it is put into law, it will be effective on October 1, 2013.

HARTFORD — State Representative Fred Camillo (R-151) continues to work tirelessly to get Buddy’s Law a reality. The bill would require, in most circumstances, that euthanasia of a dog or cat be performed by a licensed veterinarian. Since dying on the Senate calendar last year, the bill has since garnered more support from the United States Humane Society and legislators on both sides of the aisle. In fact, Rep. Camillo’s testimony was read before the Public Health committee by Rep. Diana Urban (D-43) as he is still recovering from throat surgery.

The testimony reiterated the motivation behind Buddy’s law, which was inspired by a 5 year old German Shepherd named “Buddy.” Buddy was a resident at the Westport Animal Shelter with no prior history of biting. Within 24 hours of Buddy being place in his new home, he was shot in the back of the head after one of the owners claimed Buddy bit her. Even more shocking is that the couple received no criminal charges from shooting Buddy. Unfortunately, this is not the only incident of its kind.

Since Buddy’s killing, there have been several more tragic killings of dogs in the state.  In one case, a dog was thrown over an overpass in an attempt to have him land on cars travelling on the highway below. Instead, the dog’s chain got caught on the fence and he was left dangling over the road below. When the police arrived, they rescued the dog, who was shaking with fear.

“This sort of behavior needs to be addressed not only out of concern for and protection of our vulnerable animal friends, but also for society in general as studies have shown that this type of violent behavior toward animals does, at some point, transfer to other human beings. This legislation would really start the process of changing the way animal cruelty is dealt with in Connecticut, and hopefully will allow our state to be a leader when it comes to humane treatment of our best friends,” said Rep. Camillo.

The bill (HB 6591) was heard before the Public Health committee on Wednesday morning. It is the hope of Rep. Camillo and all others involved to make this bill a reality this year.

HARTFORD — Rep. Fred Camillo (R-151) worked alongside Ranking Member on Transportation, Rep. David Scribner (R-107), and Chairman of Transportation, Rep. Tony Guerrera (D-29) to help craft and introduce a bill addressing distracted driving that received near-unanimous support. The proposed legislation takes a three-pronged approach to addressing this dangerous activity by:

• Establishing a task force to prevent distracted driving and help improve enforcement of current laws given the new advancements of mobile technology;
• Increasing the fine for a first distracted driving violation from $100 to $150; a second violation from $150 to $300; and a third violation from $200 to $500;
• Changing the infraction level of a distracted driving violation to be more severe and creates a point system for offenses that has the potential to affect the violator’s car insurance premium;

“Distracted Driving is perhaps the most important issue today concerning road safety, said Rep. Camillo. The split second that a driver’s attention is diverted is often, sadly, all it takes to end lives, disrupt families, and begin lifetimes of mourning. With this bill, we are saying to the public that this offense is being taken seriously, and that there will be a substantial financial price to pay for violating the law.” Rep. Scribner praised “the efforts, skill and thoughtful approach that Rep. Camillo used to collaborate and gain strong bi-partisan support of this important measure.”

The bill (HB-5248) was inspired by Norwalk resident, Kenneth Dorsey, 44, who was struck and killed last March on New Canaan Avenue in Norwalk by a distracted driver.

Greenwich- On Friday, March 1^st State Rep. Fred Camillo was on site at the Greenwich Town Hall to deliver an important State Citation to Greenwich’s Italian sister cities, Rose and Morra De Sanctis. Rep. Camillo awarded the State Citation to Mayor Sindaco Stefano Leone of Rose, Italy. The evening included other celebrations of the Town’s Italian heritage as each council exchanged official documents to formalize the partnership. To view the full story on the Greenwich Post, click here.

HARTFORD — State Representatives Livvy Floren, (R-149), Stephen G. Walko (R-150), and Fred Camillo (R-151) have mixed feelings after hearing Governor Dannel P. Malloy’s budget Wednesday afternoon. The Governor announced a proposal that will increase spending to $1.8 billion or 9 percent over the next two years. The budget recommends paying about $1.8 billion toward Connecticut’s debt service in the $20.15 billion budget for fiscal year 2014. It also wants to authorize $1.5 billion in borrowing in 2014 and $1.6 billion in bonding in 2015. This brought many concerns from the Greenwich Delegation.

One of the main issues the legislative delegation had with the budget is that it raises spending in an already poor economy. The causes are noble ones, like a 1.5 billion over 10 years to assist future students through “Next Generation Connecticut” or a proposal to add $73 million for local education. However, this spending comes in the form of borrowing and pushes up against both the bonding and spending caps.

“Although I applaud the vision and innovative programs outlined by Governor Malloy—especially those for early childhood education and UConn Stamford, I just can’t make the math work,” said Rep. Floren.

“I’m concerned that the budget borrows money to pay for day to day expenses. So while the Governor’s budget seeks to help future students through ‘Next Generation Connecticut;’ this budget saddles that same generation with an overwhelming amount of debt,” stated Rep. Walko.

“I am in agreement with the Governor’s focus on developing a bioscience sector here in Connecticut that will give our state something other than the financial services on which to rely. However, I am concerned about how and who will be paying for the certain reduction in taxes he outlined in his speech. I look forward to seeing the details of these proposals as well as working with my colleagues to produce the best possible budget,” added Rep. Camillo.

The budget was presented to the State House of Representatives and State Senate in a joint convention of the legislature by Malloy. Although the budget won’t be finalized until late May or early June, both republican and democratic legislators can agree there is a lot to discuss and debate.

GREENWICH — State Representative Fred Camillo (R-151) gave a brief run-down on State Issues Tuesday night. Camillo joined the Havemeyer Park Homeowners Association at their annual meeting at the Sound Beach Fire House.

Camillo discussed many of the hot topics including the state budget and the projected deficits, the gun proposals now being debated, and commerce issues like the Governor’s pursuit of businesses to remain and or relocate here.

“Staying in touch with the various neighborhood associations is a way for me to update the residents on state issues as well as hear what issues are concerning them the most. The Havemeyer Park Homeowners Association represents the neighborhood I have lived in for decades and is a well-informed group that presents both a terrific forum for information dissemination and a venue to spend time with neighbors you may not get a chance to see very often.” Rep. Camillo said.

The Havemeyer Park Homeowners Association represents about 320 households north of the Post Road along the Stamford border.

State Representatives Fred Camillo (R-151),  Livvy Floren, (R-149), and Stephen G. Walko (R-150) joined Governor Dannel P. Malloy (D) for a ceremonial ground breaking to celebrate the beginning of a long awaited construction project to renovate and improve Nathaniel Witherell.

All three members of the Greenwich delegation spoke highly of Nathaniel Witherell, citing its importance as a unique facility and an asset for the citizens of Greenwich. Each of them expressed excitement for its promising future.

“The Nathaniel Witherell , a short-term rehab and skilled nursing center in Greenwich, is one of the institutions that sets our community apart from most. The staff and programs as well as the care that both short and long term patients and residents receive at the facility is why so many people have fought to make Project Renew a reality. As a person who, at different times, had many relatives at the center, I know what a gem this place really is. I would like to thank the staff, volunteers, board members, members of the BET, the RTM, Greenwich’s ” Citizen K”, Joe Kaliko, my Connecticut General Assembly colleagues, Livvy Floren, Scott Frantz, Stephen Walko, former colleague Lile Gibbons, former State Senator Bill Nickerson, former State Representatives Claudia “Dolly” Powers and Christel Truglia, and Governor Malloy for making this day possible. We look forward to a bright and sustained future for The Nathaniel Witherell in Greenwich, and to the present and future residents there who will be able to enjoy the benefits it provides in this truly wonderful setting,” said Rep. Camillo.

Nathaniel Witherell is a skilled nursing and rehabilitation facility, operated by the Town of Greenwich for over 100 years.