Here's my notes from the day. Please realize while reading them that these were literally written on the fly, stenographer style. Please remember, that the passing of all of these bills is a long drawn out process and takes time. We need to be vigilant in understanding this, and in understanding how to combat the passing of many of these bad laws, and also enable the passing of the good. Many thanks to all who attended today, especially those courageous enough to speak.
A note on Senator Peterson, he was great, numerous times he spoke out against the proposed legislation, sometimes subtly, sometimes not so. He did a great job of pointing out what we don't need which is more law, when the laws are already in place, but not enforced.
Note: "Costello" is Michael Costello who was running today's proceedings.
1/27/10 Meeting notes
Room A 1 Very full, lots of people here including those that are against.
Rep Peterson is here hanging out with us.
Meeting is starting.
Speaking about 2263. PD’s are overwhelmed by the amount of firearms they are taking in through seizures.
Director of MA COPs association is speaking in support of 2263 He wants to give more control to dealers that receive seized firearms in order to streamline the process of returning it to the owner. Wants a 1 year limit for holding guns used in crimes then they would be turned over to dealer. Brewer is asking him about 209A seizures. 44K last year!
George Peterson is speaking on behalf of 2259. He just presented the huge stack of GOAL LETTERS! Everyone laughed. Speaking about 964 Katrina Bill. Asking for support of same. Now on 933 and 938. 933 first, “calling for better enforcement of current laws instead of making more laws. 938. Same thing, enforce current laws instead of making more. 2259 Stating this will be a big change, will streamline licensing process to only 1 license for all by age. Talking about the 2nd amendment now, the law of the land supports this with the exception of prohibited people. 1998 acts are a miserable failure, crime is up, violence is up, explaining how the secretary of public safety would be in charge of licensing, COP’s would be “agents” and would not be able to decide on who is licensed, this will make who is eligible more clear cut, explaining eligibility by age, one license, no prohibited people, provides clarification. This bill will punish prohibited people more effectively and lawful citizens less, this will also provide better provisions for tracking and prosecuting criminals with weapons.”
Timilty is telling him great job, Brewer is thanking him asking about crime statutes, now asking about exemptions for people moving to MA. George is explaining that law abiding citizens shouldn’t be stripped for moving to MA and should get 180 days to get MA license. Costello is telling him he likes the bill “great ideas”, likes the clarifications, calling it comprehensive, he understands the issues from town to town with COP’s calling it “inconsistent” Now saying he has concerns about taking it out of hands of chiefs, now talking about WW2 vet’s being disarmed by current law and issues with that. George is replying, thanking, addressing the current laws “WW2 vet issue”. Costello is talking about somebody he knows that is DQ’d and how we need more flexibility. George is now comparing our licensing system to if we ran the RMV licensing the same way and the nightmare that would create. Great point! Timilty is now asking him about “tough chiefs” George is addressing it, explaining how people that appeal can’t win and how it’s unfair to people that are denied for no reason other than local. Now talking about the new bill streamlining that process. Explaining how our license will become “shall issue” as most of the country is. That’s it for now.
Rep from W. MA is now discussing 2231 allowing Sunday Hunting, explaining how it is unfair, people are going out of state to hunt because of this. Urging support for bill. Now talking about S921 bill to arm campus cops, talking about it being nonsense, campus cops have same or more training. Brewer is making a statement about it being crazy that the campus cops are unarmed and endangers citizens and LEO’s, calling it “a slap in the face”
The room is now very full, many people are standing.
Continuing discussion, Costello is raising issues with LEO’s that are not adequately trained, disarming LEO’s in court. Over.
Rep Cabral is now speaking about H.2202 Wants to close loopholes in assault weapons, C.140 S121 should be closed, “pre ban exemption”. Talking about Foxy Lady Shooting, “AR was so powerful it shot through the car” Cops couldn’t reach bad guy with there weapons and bad guy was “shooting through the cop car” Wants to make illegal pretty much any rifle except for bolt guns, wants to ban Hi cap weapons. Now saying “I’m not a hunter but I don’t think Hi Cap weapons should be allowed for hunting” Also wants to increase minimum sentence to 3 years for anyone illegally owning a Hi cap gun. Now calling the law a “major loophole” and “replica weapons” Now saying he wants to meet us in the middle and that we should have firearms, just nothing powerful or hi cap. Room is very quiet.
Rep Gobbi is now going to speak. She supports 2259, discussing that it needs work. Now discussing 2231, explaining it, discussing economic issues and the laws effects, explaining how hunters help with the conservation of land, asking for consideration. Brewer is making a statement to her about the bill, making statements about hunting being safer then ever, Gobbi is explaining that this is true and accidents have gone down.
Commish of Boston PD is now speaking. Discussing S977 and H2247 “microstamping” 977 will address violence and illegal weapons, we need better tracking, needs to create an electronic database to track sale of weapons, calling for enhanced penalties for felons with firearms. Wants A.P. ammo banned, now talking about micro-stamping explaining how it’s a new technology that will leave a “marker” connecting shells to crime guns. Talking about it being supported by ICOPs, talking about how micro-stamping will make it easier to track shooters, talking about “community guns”, the same gun killing multiple victims, used by different shooters. Brewer is thanking him for hard work, asking about percentage of gun crimes by licensed owners, pinning him to it being in the single digit percentages. Now asking him about funding for 977, recording of ammo sales, talking about people that reload, asking about record keeping for re-loaders, Commish does not want to track re-loaders, now wishing there was “Geographic Legislation” Brewer is now telling him that the people that commit the crimes are going to anyways and “don’t give a damn”
Jason Guida is now speaking about the Gun Show bill, talking about MIRCS, explaining it, explaining how dealers need to bring computers to gun shows. He’s explaining how this bill will “help dealers” and will create a “mobile MIRCS terminal that could be brought to gun shows.
He’s now speaking in opposition to 2259. He wants to keep “chiefs in charge” claiming chiefs no best who is suitable, discussing chiefs decisions having to be fact based, mental illness issues, addiction issues, domestic violence issues. Costello is asking him about the “Local” issue, asking why the state doesn’t have the ultimate authority, discussing variance between chiefs, (maybe on our side?) Guida is answering that the “Chiefs know their communities better” and is saying the judicial system prevents Chiefs indiscretions, now claiming that there are no chiefs that refuse to permit, and claiming that 2259 will get rid of all regulation of sale of guns at dealer level, claiming it will undo regulation of sale of firearms, including sale of 4 or more guns buy an individual “they can get a dealer’s license” Now discussing violent criminal issues, saying that 2259 would enable people with suspended citizens to purchase firearms. Costello is now commenting on how he spends too much time looking at law abiding citizens and the need to address the criminal issue, asking for Guida to get together with GOAL to discuss licensing issues, now explaining concerns over unfair licensing issues.
Nancy V Executive director of Citizens for safety is speaking in opposition to 2259 and for micro-stamping. She is stating that felons commit crimes (duh) Asking “where are guns coming from” “refuses to accept that criminals will have guns regardless” Stating “facts” about gun crimes on streets, reading notes about “senseless killing” “Shooting” “living in fear” She had no real facts
H. 2202 Assault weapon loophole is in discussion now, Linda mother of man shot at Foxy Lady is speaking, wants to close loophole. Talking about history of U.S. Gun Violence “Plague” discussing gun control act of 1968, now 1994 assault weapons ban, discussing expiration of ban in 2004, defining assault weapons, including uzi’s, tec 9s, shotguns, “evil features” allowing shooter to spray area with bullets with a high rate of fire, these features are unnecessary and only for hunting human beings, “mass produced mayhem” calling them “Cop Killers” asking if this is the kind of weapon we want on our streets? Now claiming that assault weapons are weapon of choice for crimes and paramilitary groups, wants MA to be leader in banning them. Claiming “a true manager of courage needs no weapons” Now claiming that the AR used in Foxy Lady shooting is exact same thing that is used in Afghanistan and Iraq, discussing gruesome details of Foxy Lady shooting, claiming increase in Assault Weapon crime. “These weapons are not meant for man to protect themselves as in the days of our fathers, but are weapons of war” “owning an automatic weapon here in New England is crazy!” Now giving testimony about damage to car by bullets (car was “a football field” away, discussing how the cops had less powerful weapons to fight back with and how bullets “went through the cruiser like butter”. Costello is now replying, saying he was disappointed that the ban was not re-instated, saying “we” are going to be pragmatic, thanking for testimony.
2231 Sunday Hunting is in discussion now, women from “society for prevention of cruelty to animals” Claiming that 6 days a week is enough, saying that people that use the woods need the one day without hunting, that they want the “safe day” to enjoy the woods, stating that the majority of people do not hunt and deserve that day.
2259 is up now, GOAL Exec Director Jim Wallace and Jake McQuiggen from NSSF are going to speak on behalf. Jake is speaking on 2231, discussing huge economic impact of hunters, talking about MA passing gay marriage bill for 2% of population, discussing tax revenue raised by hunters and use of money to purchase recreational land and how hunters pay for it, recreational users do not. Now discussing micro-stamping, discussing states that are trying to pass it, CA passing it, it being a patent technology-sweetheart deal for inventor, discussing mfg’s being against, increase in cost of firearms, calling it a “piece of gun control” , talking about technology not working, police etc.. are studying, now discussing how it’s easily defeated just like serial numbers can be removed a firing pin can be swapped. Costello is replying, saying if it worked he’d be in favor. Jake is now replying about criminals using illegal weapons that wouldn’t have it.
Jim is now speaking about 2259. Discussing changes in 1998 and how they respected 2A rights and increasing public safety and how they did the opposite, discussing loss of licensed gun owners due to the laws, and increase in crime related shooting “drastic increase” since laws were enacted in 1998. Asking for a fresh look at licensing, and for more respect for “law abiding citizens” and harsher penalties for criminals, discussing suitability issues and how ridiculous they are, how citizens shouldn’t have to prove that we are suitable, that it should be just the opposite, discussing 2259 being a new concept, talking about “huge bureaucratic system” Discussing variances from town to town with chiefs issuing licenses, talking about spending millions to track the good guys, nothing to track the bad guys, discussing creating a “prohibited person status” and how that would make things easier for LEO’s providing clearer definition making it clear cut, discussing how the goal of the bill is to make it tougher on criminals, discussing how LEO’s have difficult time comprehending the laws, talking about opposing issues with chiefs and how it is abused, illegal overcharging, doctors letters, need to belong to clubs, take shooting tests, need for state wide oversight. Costello is asking about how it would provide local oversight, Jim is telling him it won’t and telling him that we need to put the onus on the state to prove unsuitability, the need for a change in the appeals system, discussing that COP’s don’t deal in facts. Costello is discussing size of bill, asking how we can make sure there is local control. Jim is saying it couldn’t happen without oversight at state level, discussing licensing agents breaking the law. Costello is saying the issues can be figured out but doesn’t want to “sugar coat it”. Jim is replying that MA is the only state that forces lawful citizens to hide the fact that they own firearms, the we need to hide who we are. Now discussing loss of licensees, and loss of revenues do to it, our high cost of licensing, how the money doesn’t go back to us in any way through training, doesn’t fund a criminal data base. Timilty is now asking about local licensing, with state oversight “Local checkpoint”? Jim is discussing restriction issues, lack of definitions, talking about no structure for denial of restrictions.
Costello is now discussing age/licensing structure of 2259, saying he’s not comfortable with people “Strapping on handguns” in Boston. Jim is replying discussing CCW issues in MA. Talking about McDonald V. Chicago, Heller, Supreme Court ruling in favor, discussing how MA laws go against. Now discussing 2263 bonded warehouse issues and need to re-write, discussing exorbitant fees, discussing ammo laws, pertaining to shipping to MA. Discussing re-filing of Katrina Bill. Jim just touched on most other bills, spoke well about many issues which will be discussed further, written summary to be submitted.
Now getting testimony in support for 2259 from citizens, approximately 15 people here to speak in favor. Fist person is discussing bad laws, and confusion they cause..
![[cheers]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/018.gif "Cheers [cheers]")
![[rolleyes]](/xen/styles/default/xenforo/smilies.vb/042.gif "Roll Eyes [rolleyes]")
