Jim,
Totally agree. This is total BS. I'm working on it Total abuse of power and a political stunt. I appreciate your support.
Shawn
Shawn Dooley
State Representative, 9th Norfolk
Medfield, Millis, Norfolk, Plainville, Walpole, & Wrentham.
and from Senator Richard Ross
Dear Jim:
Thank you for contacting me regarding the recent decision by Attorney General Maura Healey to unilaterally rule on the scope of the Assault Weapons Ban. Please know that I too was disappointed to learn of her actions, especially in light of the fact that she gave no notification to the Legislature in advance. We were informed of it through the media, and had numerous questions as to whether or not she followed protocols and more importantly, had the authority to take such action.
From what we in the Senate Republican Caucus have been able to ascertain, it appears that the AG does have the authority to issue a clarifying statement of guidance on preexisting law. The AG used her authority to notify gun dealers in the state about what qualifies and meets the criteria for legal and illegal firearms. Though the sale of assault weapons have been banned in Massachusetts since 1998, I do believe that there needs to be more clarification on what firearms constitute “copycat” and “duplicate” assault weapons so that citizens and gun dealers are not unknowingly breaking the law. This can be done while we are able to close loopholes and clarify the scope of the law.
Law abiding citizens should not find themselves in such a serious predicament between legality and illegality overnight. The rights of legal gun owners must be protected and therefore it is imperative that the Attorney General clarify what her ruling means for those who believed they were legally purchasing firearms on or before July 20th.
It is unfortunate that there was not more communication between the Attorney General, the legislature and the citizens before this announcement. If there had been I am certain the state would not be facing as much ambiguity as it is now.
The Attorney General’s office has set-up hotlines for anyone who wishes to call and express any concerns or questions. Gun dealers who have questions about compliance can call (617) 963-2775. For all other questions or comments, constituents can call the Consumer Assistance and Response Division hotline at (617) 727-8400. There is a web page where you can find the letter the Attorney General sent, the enforcement notice, and answers to some frequently asked questions:
http://www.mass.gov/ago/public-safety/awbe.html.
As always, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have as well.
Sincerely,
Richard Ross