FInal Push Back on ERPO - Please Call Baker's Office Immediately.

[Mike S]

I called earlier and spoke to Kyle. My points about this bill disregarding due process and allowing for confiscation of property from people who have committed no crime seemed to hit home. He said he has already heard from a lot of people on our side.

Here's the alert from GOAL:

ALERT – PLEASE CALL GOVERNOR BAKER IMMEDIATELY, URGE ERPO VETO!
Massachusetts legislature targets licensed MA gun owners, approves bill aimed at stripping rights, confiscating property. Please call Governor Baker immediately at 617-725-4005 and urge him to veto ERPO.

The Massachusetts State Senate last week approved ERPO legislation, H.4539, “An Act Relative to Firearms”. A bill specifically crafted to be used only against licensed gun owners.

The legislation will be reconciled and then head to Governor Baker’s desk to be signed into law.

Following the lead set by their colleagues in the MA House, the senate stripped every amendment that would have provided due process protections, mental health services for those in need, and protections for licensed gun owners who may suffer from a false report.

The senate also refused to support increased penalties for filing a false ERPO. Additionally, they struck down another amendment that would have prevented a petitioner from filing an ERPO if the petitioner has a history of harassing the respondent.

Before the final vote, Senator Chang–Diaz took the floor, and spoke about the vast majority of murders committed with firearms in MA being in urban areas, “the underlying bill does little to prevent gun violence that affects many across the commonwealth”. She also stated “the bill will have no effect on illegal guns”. But then again, neither will her legislative proposals, also aimed only at restricting what licensed gun owners can do.

By stating this, Senator Diaz acknowledged that ERPO would only enable the state to confiscate firearms from licensed gun owners. We certainly hope that Governor Baker, who ran as a “friend of sportsmen” will recognize ERPO for what it is and veto it as written.

Take Action!
Please call Governor Baker’s office immediately at 617-725-4005 and urge him to send the ERPO bill back to the legislature to provide protections for licensed gun owners, and mental health services for those in need, who may be dragged into court by this process.

 

[Noreaster]

Mike, has you or anyone from GOAL talked to Baker directly about this? We have witnessed similar feedback from Bakers staff on previous bills and he just signed away with a smile. I am curious if he shares some concerns.

 

[CAR]

Called and spoke with an aide who pretty much checked the yea/nay box for me, took my contact info and assured me my voice would be heard. To be fair, I called at lunchtime. I'm not optimistic, but if nobody calls they have no reason to even hint about it.

 

[Freddy B]

Since the bill passed with veto proof margins, perhaps DeLeo will give Baker the knowing wink that will permit him to veto this for appearance sake. The notorious emergency preamble pay raises were an example of this. Charlie waited, waited, waited, and then the wink came.

 

[sieveboy]

He'll sign it and likely add that it "doesn't go far enough" and that it's a "great first step".

 

[CatSnoutSoup]

Where is the record of votes cast for the senate? Who voted yea or nay?

 

[milktree]

Where is the record of votes cast for the senate? Who voted yea or nay?

It's such an important bill that there's no record.

They must be so proud to have voted on such groundbreaking legislation without any record of who voted.

Did I say proud. I meant "gutless cowards". Those two are so similar, I get them mixed up sometimes.

 

[Mountain]

Done!

Saw GOAL's email earlier and called.

 

[jonw]

Just got off the phone with his office. They are getting a lot of phone calls. KEEP them coming!!

 

[Freddy B]

It's such an important bill that there's no record.

They must be so proud to have voted on such groundbreaking legislation without any record of who voted.

Did I say proud. I meant "gutless cowards". Those two are so similar, I get them mixed up sometimes.

That's the difference between the house and the senate. The house wants you to know how they F'd you over. They are proud of it. The senate are cowardly snakes, doing their dirty work under cover of darkness.

 

[amm5061]

That's the difference between the house and the senate. The house wants you to know how they F'd you over. They are proud of it. The senate are cowardly snakes, doing their dirty work under cover of darkness.

Yup, pretty much. Voice voting on this shit should be illegal. There ought to be a record.

 

[EddieCoyle]

Where is the record of votes cast for the senate? Who voted yea or nay?

The Senate passed it with a voice vote.

 

[kevin9]

Has the House voted on the Senate version yet?

 

[Coyote33]

Just called Baker's office. Got through after 10-15 minutes. Gave them heck.

I never mentioned the bill, but the aide asked me if I was calling to oppose ERPO; so someone must be getting through.

I said if they can't stop the bill outright, to fix due process, appeals, and mental services.

 

[sbi]

He'll sign it and likely add that it "doesn't go far enough" and that it's a "great first step".

Yup. ^ That

Just got off the phone with his office. They are getting a lot of phone calls. KEEP them coming!!

Yeah, yeah, yeah...they always get lot of phone calls. As if they f***ing care. This #RINO SOB will sign the bill before we even have time to blink.

 

[BarnB]

He and they dont give a $heeit about you or me. Only about themselves and re-election.

 

[LLF]

I got the alert from GOAL & called Bakers office. I spoke to a very polite young man. I gave him the basic talking points GOAL laid out plus the fact that ERPO would NOT have prevented some very high profile killings -- Deane Stryker, (knife attack) Olivia Bergstrom (stabbed to death), the Krause family (killed with a baseball bat), the Christopher Joyce shooting (unregistered gun). The first three cases involve mental illness which ERPO does nothing to address. Personally I think the lack of a mental health component is the strongest argument right now, seeing as how MA state government doesn't give 2 s**ts about the Constitution.

 

[robjax]

done...took me a while to actually get through. Seems a lot of people are calling for one reason or another.

I read this statement to the guy who answered. I hope it was a recorded line...lol He was very polite. I hope I got my amendments right....lol


I am calling to respectfully request that you veto the EPRO bill H.4539. This bill circumvents due process and specifically targets legally licensed gun owners and does nothing to eliminate, prohibit or impede those unlicensed individuals that use guns in crimes.

This subjects legally licensed citizens to frivolous complaints resulting in the removal of their personal property without any evidence of a crime.

There are dozens of pages of gun laws on the book in the commonwealth. The majority target legally licensed gun owners. Licenses in and of themselves are unconstitutional. So rather than just violating the 2nd amendment law makers now feel the need to violate the 4th and 14 th amendments as well.

Whether you agree with the second amendment or not the government should not be in the business of promoting tyranny and oppression. This is a direct assault by the state government specifically targeting people who jumped through countless hoops to get licensed in this state. Do not support this leftist anti-American agenda.

Please veto the bill. Ask law makers to stop inventing crimes to punish legal gun owners.

Thank you.

 

[GM-GUY]

I just realized something; my brother (in the can for life - and doesn’t really care for me) could file one against me. He checks the boxes as a relative and can claim I’ve been acting strangely (because after all what are they going to do to him) and bingo - I’m screwed. Without the harassment protection, that isn’t even a point of contention at the hearing (if I even get one before the knock on the door).

Good job robjax

 

[Mesatchornug]

Just talked to Kyle. Told him that I'm a violence prevention instructor in the LGBT community, that I and members in my community are particularly scared of the bill's potential for abuse, and that folks this weekend told me they're considering leaving MA because of this law and others like it. Proceeded to say that this bill is especially troublesome on due process grounds, and does nothing to help with mental health, even though that's how the bill is being advertised.

Here's hoping it helps at all.

 

[Mike S]

Mike, has you or anyone from GOAL talked to Baker directly about this? We have witnessed similar feedback from Bakers staff on previous bills and he just signed away with a smile. I am curious if he shares some concerns.

Yes, GOAL Exec. Director Jim Wallace has met with Baker's staff on ERPO at least once, they listened but I wouldn't venture a guess at how they are thinking - will act.

Also, it should be noted, for all the talk of the "powerful gun lobby" by the gun prohibition crowd, they had Jim outnumbered more than 5-1 during the months preceding the separate votes. i.e. they had at least five lobbyists in the State House pushing for it to be passed.

 

[Noreaster]

Thanks Mike.

Yeah - not surprised. Its not about doing what is right, or even what right for the people. Its about conforming to an agenda. Unfortunately.

 

[jek]

If Baker signs it, he should be the first person ERPO'd.

 

[GM-GUY]

He doesn’t have an LTC, it only applies to law abiding registered gun owners.

 

[cams]

Called earlier and got Kyle on the phone, seemed fairly receptive and said they’re getting a ton of calls on this.

He asked me what parts of the bill was I opposed too, and just as I started speaking my POS GD MF Apple product somehow hung up on me and called GD Aamaco Transmissions who I haven’t had business with in 10yrs. Almost threw my phone out the window.

Called back and took another 20mins waiting and then got Will on the phone, seemed immediately disinterested so I asked to speak to Kyle again as he sounded more interested than just checking boxes.

Kyle was busy so I spoke to Will, made it clear that he should take notes to pass on to the Gov about who elected him, what promises he made, and how disappointed so many of us are.

I explained clearly that I’ve been a LEO for over 2 decades in Boston, and that not ONCE, have I ever had an issue with nor have I ever had to take into custody a licensed gun owner in all that time for any reason and that from my experience LTC holders are the most polite and respectful people to encounter during a shift.

I told them that they really need to start concentrating on the gangbangers, murderers and rapists that they keep letting out the revolving door and stop making law abiding citizens into overnight criminals and that it was mind boggling to me as a LEO that this even has to be discussed.

Gave my contact info to verify who I am if needed, told them I and most LEO’s that I know, except politically appointed CoP’s, strongly oppose ERPO and to please remind Mr Baker who elected him. I also stated that I would very much like a call from the Gov to make my concerns known personally, from someone that has had to deal with real, very violent, career criminals, not the imaginary ones that only push a single political agenda to further the Attorney Generals or some politicians career.

I doubt I’ll get my call, unless it’s to tell me I’m fired. F**k it. I’m tired and disgusted anyway, but at least made it clear what and who’s side I’m on.

 

[Mack179]

I called, was on hold for about 10 minutes, talked to a polite aide, easy process.

 

[enbloc]

Not calling.

 

[bigred460]

Called, only on hold for a few minutes. Aide was polite, after asking for the Governor to veto the bill and stating my reasons, the aide asked for my contact info and said he would forward my message to the Governor.

 

[amm5061]

I just realized something; my brother (in the can for life - and doesn’t really care for me) could file one against me. He checks the boxes as a relative and can claim I’ve been acting strangely (because after all what are they going to do to him) and bingo - I’m screwed. Without the harassment protection, that isn’t even a point of contention at the hearing (if I even get one before the knock on the door).

Good job robjax

Is the complainant even required to attend the hearing?

 

[Dadstoys]

I'll do my duty in the morning as we all should , but I'll remind the Baker fan boys that he said he would sign ANY anti gun legislation that hit his desk.
The man hates the constitution as much as any died in wool commie in this state.