(a) The Commissioner of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall establish a state database that any person, firm or corporation who sells or otherwise transfers firearms may access, by telephone or other electronic means in addition to the telephone, for information to be supplied immediately, on whether a permit to carry a pistol or revolver, issued pursuant to subsection (b) of section 29-28, a permit to sell at retail a pistol or revolver, issued pursuant to subsection (a) of section 29-28, an eligibility certificate for a pistol or revolver, issued pursuant to section 29-36f, or a long gun eligibility certificate, issued pursuant to section 29-37p, is valid and has not been revoked or suspended.

(b) Upon establishment of the database, the commissioner shall notify each person, firm or corporation holding a permit to sell at retail pistols or revolvers issued pursuant to subsection (a) of section 29-28 of the existence and purpose of the system and the means to be used to access the database.

(c) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall establish days and hours during which the telephone number or other electronic means shall be operational for purposes of responding to inquiries, taking into consideration the normal business hours of retail firearm businesses.

(d) (1) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall be the point of contact for initiating a background check through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS), established under section 103 of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, on individuals purchasing firearms.

(2) The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection, Department of Mental Health and Addiction Services and Judicial Department shall, in accordance with state and federal law regarding confidentiality, enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for the purpose of implementing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System in the state. The Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection shall report the name, date of birth and physical description of any person prohibited from possessing a firearm pursuant to 18 USC 922(g) or (n) to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System Index, Denied Persons Files.

(e) Any person, firm or corporation that contacts the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to access the database established under this section and determine if a person is eligible to receive or possess a firearm shall not be held civilly liable for the sale or transfer of a firearm to a person whose receipt or possession of such firearm is unlawful or for refusing to sell or transfer a firearm to a person who may lawfully receive or possess such firearm if such person, firm or corporation relied, in good faith, on the information provided to such person, firm or corporation by said department, unless the conduct of such person, firm or corporation was unreasonable or reckless.

(f) Any person, firm or corporation that sells, delivers or otherwise transfers any firearm pursuant to section 29-33 or 29-37a, shall contact the Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection to access the database established under this section and receive an authorization number for such sale, delivery or transfer. The provisions of this subsection shall not apply to: (1) Any sale, delivery or transfer of an antique firearm manufactured in or before 1898, including any firearm with a matchlock, flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system manufactured in or before 1898; (2) any sale, delivery or transfer of any replica of any firearm described in subdivision (1) of this subsection if such replica uses rimfire or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition which is no longer manufactured in the United States and which is not readily available in the ordinary channels of commercial trade; (3) transactions between persons who are licensed as firearms importers or collectors, manufacturers or dealers pursuant to 18 USC 921 et seq.; (4) the transfer of firearms to and from gunsmiths for purposes of repair only; and (5) any sale, delivery or transfer of any firearm to any agency of the United States, the state of Connecticut or any local government.

(July Sp. Sess. P.A. 94-1, S. 16; P.A. 99-212, S. 7; P.A. 05-283, S. 1; P.A. 11-51, S. 169; P.A. 13-3, S. 7.)

History: P.A. 99-212 added Subsec. (c) re establishment of days and hours during which the telephone number or other electronic means shall be operational to respond to inquiries, added Subsec. (d) re designation of the Department of Public Safety as the point of contact for initiating background checks through the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, added Subsec. (e) re immunity of sellers and transferors who contact the Department of Public Safety to access the database and rely in good faith on the information provided and added Subsec. (f) re requirement that sellers and transferors contact the department to access the database and receive an authorization number and re exempt transactions; P.A. 05-283 amended Subsec. (d) to designate existing provisions as Subdiv. (1) and to add Subdiv. (2) re memorandum of understanding with the Federal Bureau of Investigation for purpose of implementing the National Instant Criminal Background Check System; P.A. 11-51 replaced references to Commissioner and Department of Public Safety with references to Commissioner and Department of Emergency Services and Public Protection and made a technical change, effective July 1, 2011; P.A. 13-3 amended Subsec. (a) to provide that database may be accessed by seller or transferor of “firearms” rather than of “pistols or revolvers” and be used to determine validity of long gun eligibility certificate issued pursuant to Sec. 29-37p, effective July 1, 2013.