State Sen. Michael McLachlan, a staunch conservative from Danbury, said Wednesday he would support the historic gun control measure before the state legislature.
The massacre at Sandy Hook, he said, forced him to think differently about the gun control issue than he had in the past, noting that he had many “painful, sleepless” nights while deliberating on the issue.
“How do we address the nightmare of a madman,” he asked on the state Senate floor.
Improvements to the mental health system, must be part of the solution, he said, adding that he was disappointed the working group on mental health failed to complete their work and proposed a task force to continue the job instead.
McLachlan said he was happy that the grandfather clause was included in the legislation, allowing “responsible gun owners to keep their property that they bought and paid for.”
He added that, after consultation with legal experts, it’s that grandfather provision that will allow the legislation to withstand legal challenges.
McLachlan said he’s voting in favor of the legislation in the hopes that he is “properly honoring” the memory of Carolyn Previdi, one of the 20 students shot to death at Sandy Hook Elementary School and the great grandchild of a noted Danbury businessman.