Senate President calls for vote on Newtown bill

HARTFORD, Conn. (AP) — The top two Democratic leaders of the Connecticut Senate are calling for a vote by the General Assembly on a package of legislation stemming from the school shooting in Newtown.

Senate President Donald E. Williams Jr. and Senate Majority Leader Martin Looney sent a letter to their fellow Democratic and Republican leaders in the House of Representatives and Senate on Friday urging them to hold a vote no later than March 13.

Lawmakers had originally hoped to come up with a bipartisan bill by the end of February. But members of special task force reviewing gun laws, mental health and school safety have said they were delayed by the recent blizzards and the complexity of the task.

The task force's gun violence group plans to complete its recommendations on Tuesday.