Gun rights group to challenge new laws - KFVS12 News & Weather Cape Girardeau, Carbondale, Poplar Bluff

President Barack Obama said Connecticut could be an example for the rest of the country, while he pushes congress to come up with a bill addressing gun control.

However, some gun rights advocates told Eyewitness News that they are planning to challenge the legislation signed into action by the governor last week.

The Connecticut Citizens Defense League said they're planning to file a lawsuit against the state.

The members told Eyewitness News parts of this bill are unconstitutional, and they believe lawmakers didn't have enough time to read over the 138 page document before taking it to a vote.

"We are disappointed. We're very disappointed," said Connecticut Citizens Defense League President Scott Wilson. "But right now, we're focusing on what's ahead of us as opposed to looking at what's behind us right now."

Wilson, who is one of the founding members of Connecticut Citizens Defense League, said membership has more than doubled since Dec. 14 where 20 children and six adults were shot and killed at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

Many of his fellow gun owners rallied at the State Capitol in Hartford in the past few months against the legislation that has now become law.

Wilson said he believes part of that bill to be unconstitutional. He's focusing on the new list of banned guns, calling many of them common use guns, and says the owners may not realize they're now banned.

"They don't even realize they have guns that are going to be registered in the new future and they're going to be in for a rude awakening when somebody knocks on their door to confiscate their firearm because it's not registered," he said.

National gun rights groups are already shifting their focus away from Connecticut.

A lobbyist with the National Shooting Sports Foundation told Eyewitness News he's moved on to Pennsylvania. He said the National Shooting Sports Foundation is focusing on other states.

And a recording at the National Rifle Association headquarters is urging its members to contact their federal representative about their second amendment rights.

"I would say after what we went through in Connecticut we would not want to leave anything up to chance on the national level," Wilson said. "We would want to be prepared for anything."

Officials with the Connecticut Citizens Defense League said they don't have a time frame for when they expect to see a lawsuit on this legislation.

However, they said their lawyers are actively working on it.

In the meantime, they're planning another gun rights rally at the State Capitol in Hartford on April 20.

John Lott, who is the author of More guns Less Crime, is expected to speak at the rally.

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