Dannel Malloy moves to ban terror suspects from getting guns

Connecticut Gov. Dannel Malloy on Thursday proposed using an executive order to ban people on federal no-fly lists from acquiring guns.

“If you cannot fly due to being on a government watch list, you should not be able to purchase a firearm while on that watch list as well,” Mr. Malloy told reporters. “This is basic common sense. The American people get it.”

President Obama has called on Congress to pass such a law in the wake of the recent terrorist attacks in Paris and San Bernardino, California, but the measure has been blocked in both the House and the Senate since last week.

Mr. Malloy said state officials are working with the federal government to get access to the lists and that the executive order would deny the issuing of gun permits, which may be appealed to a firearm review board.

He said the order would make Connecticut the first state to enact such a ban. The state had already enacted tighter controls on military-style weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines in the wake of the December 2012 school shootings in Newtown.

• This article is based in part on wire service reports.