Bill Would Prohibit MA Cities and Towns From Creating Their Own Gun Laws...

[bgoum]

Bill Would Prohibit MA Cities and Towns From Creating Their Own Gun Laws
http://concealednation.org/2016/03/...s-and-towns-from-creating-their-own-gun-laws/

 

[tk421991]

That's good. Question is will current stuff be grandfathered in, i.e. the Boston AWB that exists/does not exist?

 

[bgoum]

That's good. Question is will current stuff be grandfathered in, i.e. the Boston AWB that exists/does not exist?

Good question. Hopefully if this gets moving it would at least slow down anything they are pushing for in Lexington and other towns going forward.

 

[mikeyp]

We need one to stop the AG from making up her own shit and circumventing the law.

 

[rwl1955]

Never pass. It would make liberals heads explode.

 

[StevieP]

First sentence:

Massachusetts state law currently allows its counties and municipalities to supersede state firearm permit laws by adding stipulations and requirements.

WTF do 'counties' have to do with anything?

 

[Squire]

Stop Handgun Violence director Zoe Grover, who opposes the measure, says the bill is “dangerous” and that current state law allows communities to take a “nuance approach to gun violence … if they see an issue that they can legislate on, they’re able to do something in their own community that might not always be appropriate for the whole state.”

By this logic, towns should also be able to make laws LESS restrictive than the state, since it would be more appropriate for the town, but not the whole state.

 

[MachineHead]

This thread has so much knowledge behind it. Whatever it takes to push this bill through is exactly what we need to do.

 

[tk421991]

First sentence:



WTF do 'counties' have to do with anything?

Don't some Mass counties have their own governments, like Barnstable County?

http://www.barnstablecounty.org/

 

[ephemeratta]

Quit the nay saying and get behind this with all that you have. This is one that you folks should pullout all the stops to push through.

This is some of the best advice you're going to get today.



Here's the proposed legislation.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H2158

 

[Squire]

What is the recommended action? Call our State reps? Committee chair? Go to a hearing? Open carry at the State House?

This is some of the best advice your going to get today.
Here's the proposed legislation.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/189/House/H2158

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Sent an email to Timilty, this bill would help with Bloomey trying to kill us one town at a time

 

[kalash]

So this has to go through MA House first, followed by the MA Senate? Is there a timeline?

 

[MachineHead]

Sent an email to Timilty, this bill would help with Bloomey trying to kill us one town at a time

This is the same tactic that's going to raise the smoking age to 21. It started in one town and now it's at the brink of becoming law. This is how things get traction. We could use this same tactic to win.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Discouraging but unsurprising to hear an argument against this bill that it would prevent towns/cities from implementing more stringent gun regulation. That, essentially, the right to bear arms "might work in other counties but not in others." Not sure what kind of rationality that is and it sounds EXACTLY like trying to decide who gets to exercise their rights and who doesn't based on the circumstances of where they live.

How can I help?

 

[StevieP]

Don't some Mass counties have their own governments, like Barnstable County?

http://www.barnstablecounty.org/

There's a town of Barnstable within Barnstable county:

http://www.barnstablepolice.com/firearms.html

*Are* there any places in MA where you'd apply for your LTC at the county level? I wouldn't think so.

 

[rivet_42]

*Are* there any places in MA where you'd apply for your LTC at the county level? I wouldn't think so.

Doesn't it devolve to the State Police if there's no town PD? I think some towns in western MA don't have a town police department.

 

[Len-2A Training]

Doesn't it devolve to the State Police if there's no town PD? I think some towns in western MA don't have a town police department.

Correct.

Counties run the jails and some other services, but they don't make laws and they don't patrol the streets.

 

[tk421991]

There's a town of Barnstable within Barnstable county:

http://www.barnstablepolice.com/firearms.html

Yeah. What I'm getting at though is some counties in Mass have their own governments above the towns and below the state, like Barnstable County. Barnstable County has its own legislature too. I have no idea if a county's government has the authority to pass criminal/gun laws, I don't know Mass laws enough.

First sentence:

WTF do 'counties' have to do with anything?

http://www.barnstablecounty.org/regional-government/assembly-of-delegates/

WHAT IS THE ASSEMBLY OF DELEGATES?


The Assembly of Delegates is the legislative branch of Cape Cod Regional Government, known as Barnstable County. The Assembly of Delegates is located in First District Courthouse, Route 6A, Barnstable, MA. The office telephone is (508) 375-6761, the fax number is (508) 362-6530, or email the Assembly of Delegates. There are fifteen towns located within Barnstable County, and each town is duly represented on the Assembly of Delegates.


In 1989, by an Act of the Massachusetts General Court and confirmed by a majority of Barnstable County voters, the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter went into effect and the first session of the Assembly of Delegates convened. The Barnstable County Home Rule Charter authorizes a County tax to fund regional services, and each town pays a certain percentage based on its assessed valuation. This tax is in addition to the Deeds Excise Tax, received by all counties in the Commonwealth, and an assessment authorized in 1990 by an Act of the Massachusetts General Court and confirmed by a majority of Barnstable County voters for the Cape Cod Commission Environmental Protection Fund. All legislative powers of the County are vested in the Assembly of Delegates and, except as provided in the Barnstable County Home Rule Charter, the acts of the Assembly of Delegates are required to be by Ordinance. Periodically the Assembly of Delegates adopts Resolutions regarding issues of regional importance to Barnstable County.


Assembly Membership



The Assembly of Delegates consists of fifteen Delegates representing each of the towns located in Barnstable County. A Delegate’s vote is weighted based on the 2010 U.S. Decennial Census. The town of Barnstable, for example, has the largest vote of 20.92% and Truro the smallest vote of 0.93%.


Delegates are elected by the voters in each of their municipalities for a two year term. Delegates were elected for the fourteenth session of the Assembly of Delegates in November 2014, and took office on January 7, 2015.


At the beginning of each legislative session of the Assembly, a Speaker and Deputy Speaker are elected from its membership. The Assembly of Delegates employs a Clerk to provide legislative assistance to the Assembly. Ronald Bergstrom, the Delegate from Chatham, was elected Speaker for the fourteenth session of the Assembly of Delegates. Deborah McCutcheon, the Delegate from Truro, was elected Deputy Speaker. Janice O’Connell serves as the appointed Assembly of Delegates Clerk and as County Clerk.


The Assembly of Delegates holds regular meetings on the first and third Wednesday of each month at 4:00 p.m. The Business Calendar (meeting notice and agenda) identifies key communication topics, and items scheduled for discussion and action by the Assembly of Delegates. The Journal of Proceedings (meeting minutes) of the regular meetings are available to the public. The Assembly of Delegates has Standing Committees to deal with important issues facing the County. Committee meetings are where the Assembly’s work takes place prior to regular meetings. Standing Committees meet to hold public hearings on Proposed Ordinances and prepares a report for the full Assembly prior to a vote by the legislative body.


All meetings of the Assembly of Delegates are held in the Assembly of Delegates Chamber in the First District Courthouse, Route 6A, Barnstable, MA, unless otherwise noted.


Barnstable County government has always been recognized as the exception to failing county governments in Massachusetts and has served as a model for the successful regionalization of services. The Assembly of Delegates, in conjunction with the Board of County Commissioners, the executive branch of the Cape Cod Regional Government, work together to preserve and enhance regional services in Barnstable County.

 

[boscru]

what i can't understand is it's sponsored my James Miceli, (D) Wilmington. anybody up there know this guy?? is he a pro 2a dem?

 

[mark056]

Correct. Counties run the jails and some other services, but they don't make laws and they don't patrol the streets.

Half of Massachusetts 14 counties have some form of county government and half do not. Interestingly county government fills a niche, and where towns don't have county government They frequently form regional services such as fire, dispatch, EMT, public health etc creating de facto county type services. County govt does not issue LTCs and in municipalities that do not have full time police departments, the head selectman is the licensing authority.

 

[yanici]

Miceli has always been on the gun owners side, Very Pro gun. So get behind this.

Yep. He's my Rep and we are lucky to have him. I always work for his reelection campaigns.

 

[ephemeratta]

What is the recommended action? Call our State reps? Committee chair? Go to a hearing? Open carry at the State House?

Email the legislation sponsor. Then the committee members and your reps(especially if they're a sitting committee member.)
This bill was scheduled for hearing 1/28/16. Emailed Mr. Micelli thanking him for his legislation and asked where it stood.

It's nice to see real "common sense" firearms legislation being proposed.

 

[Coyote33]

Will send to my rep and senator in the morning.

I thought Massachusetts abolished all county government like 20 years ago.

Edit: I stand corrected:
1)
Abolished County Governments: Berkshire, Essex, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Middlesex, First Norfolk, Suffolk and Worcester. Intact County Governments: Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Second Norfolk and Plymouth.


2)
CHAPTER 34B ABOLITION OF COUNTY GOVERNMENT

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

Talked to my contact at the State House last night, he told me this preemption bill is DOA

 

[MachineHead]

Talked to my contact at the State House last night, he told me this preemption bill is DOA

Did he give you any more info or reason as to why it will or would be DOA?

 

[Ben Cartwright SASS]

I am trying to remember exactly the reason he gave, we were in the middle of a tough fight at town meeting. It was something that really didn't make sense to me, about with our convoluted laws and towns making tougher ones, but that is what preemption is supposed to stop. I will email him to get a better answer

 

[Len-2A Training]

Probably wanting to wrap all work up now so that they can concentrate on re-election campaigning. Don't want anything controversial to impair election chances.

 

[Coyote33]

Time to get creative with finding another place to attach this bill.

Here's one:
Committee sends omnibus agriculture bill to Massachusetts Senate