G
GOAL C.M.
A House bill to reform and simplify Massachusetts’ firearm licensing laws is a welcome step toward protecting the rights of law-abiding citizens, preventing dangerous persons from obtaining weapons, and clarifying the ambiguous language that led to the death of an 8-year-old boy at a Westfield gun show in 2008.
House Bill 2259, presented by state Rep. George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton, received a favorable hearing on Beacon Hill last week. The bill enjoys bipartisan support, including that of Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, chairman of the Senate’s Public Safety Committee.
The bill recognizes the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, in which D.C.’s ban on handgun ownership was struck down. The Massachusetts bill reads: “The right to keep and bear arms as an individual civil right shall be presumed to exist … unless expressly prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth.”
The bill would simplify the process of obtaining a firearm license by consolidating issuing authority with the state Executive Office of Public Safety, while police chiefs would serve as licensing agents. Under current law, each community’s chief holds the power to issue licenses — leading to a system where law-abiding persons find it relatively easy to obtain a firearms license in some communities, yet nearly impossible in others.
In addition, the legislation creates 13 categories of persons prohibited from owning a firearm, including those convicted of violent crimes, subject to restraining orders, fugitives from justice, and undocumented immigrants. This puts the focus exactly where it belongs — on those who have violated the law, are recognized threats, or have no legal claim to reside in Massachusetts, and thus no claim to the rights and responsibilities accorded to residents.
The bill would also specify that no one under age 18 may handle a machine gun, under any circumstances, while those over 18 may do so only in the presence of an individual licensed to handle such weapons.
Massachusetts has an enviable record on gun safety, but current law is imperfect. House Bill 2259 moves us toward that goal by reasserting the rights and freedoms of law-abiding citizens in this state, and helping law enforcement authorities crack down on those who violate gun laws. It deserves full debate and speedy enactment.
Link to the story to leave comments below.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20100201/NEWS/2010342/1020
House Bill 2259, presented by state Rep. George N. Peterson Jr., R-Grafton, received a favorable hearing on Beacon Hill last week. The bill enjoys bipartisan support, including that of Sen. James Timilty, D-Walpole, chairman of the Senate’s Public Safety Committee.
The bill recognizes the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in District of Columbia v. Heller, in which D.C.’s ban on handgun ownership was struck down. The Massachusetts bill reads: “The right to keep and bear arms as an individual civil right shall be presumed to exist … unless expressly prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth.”
The bill would simplify the process of obtaining a firearm license by consolidating issuing authority with the state Executive Office of Public Safety, while police chiefs would serve as licensing agents. Under current law, each community’s chief holds the power to issue licenses — leading to a system where law-abiding persons find it relatively easy to obtain a firearms license in some communities, yet nearly impossible in others.
In addition, the legislation creates 13 categories of persons prohibited from owning a firearm, including those convicted of violent crimes, subject to restraining orders, fugitives from justice, and undocumented immigrants. This puts the focus exactly where it belongs — on those who have violated the law, are recognized threats, or have no legal claim to reside in Massachusetts, and thus no claim to the rights and responsibilities accorded to residents.
The bill would also specify that no one under age 18 may handle a machine gun, under any circumstances, while those over 18 may do so only in the presence of an individual licensed to handle such weapons.
Massachusetts has an enviable record on gun safety, but current law is imperfect. House Bill 2259 moves us toward that goal by reasserting the rights and freedoms of law-abiding citizens in this state, and helping law enforcement authorities crack down on those who violate gun laws. It deserves full debate and speedy enactment.
Link to the story to leave comments below.
http://www.telegram.com/article/20100201/NEWS/2010342/1020
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