H.4121 Update – July 9, 2014
Northboro, MA – -(Ammoland.com)- Dear GOAL Members and Supporters,
Today marks a great victory for Second Amendment advocates in Massachusetts. As of this morning, a new version of H.4121 has been released by the House Ways and Means Committee.
The new number is H.4278. The new version is a tremendously different piece of legislation from the original version and that is a direct result of your efforts.
The vast amount of phone calls, emails, letters, and personal contacts forced vast changes to the bill.
Changes include:
- Getting rid of the one year misdemeanor disqualifier;
- Removing restriction and “reason” from the FID card language;
- Changing the “suitability” issues to place the burden on the licensing authority to prove an individual a threat to public safety;
- Changed the suicide study language that previously only included firearms to include all types of suicide;
- Ensuring that people seeking voluntary mental health treatment or observation are not included in the NICs information;
- Added the term “prohibited person” to FID and LTC language;
- Removing language regarding vast changes in training;
- Adding language to protect the trainers of youth with firearms;
- Creating strong crime language including GOAL’s Criminal Firearms Division
- And more –
We have been very successful in changing the gun language in this bill, that GOAL has now told the legislature that we are neutral on the bill.
Why neutral?
Because there are a lot of sections in the bill that don’t affect firearms law such as school safety, mental health and other matters that certain legislators may not be comfortable with. While not perfect, the changes show how effective you have been. We will still have to be vigilant today during the debates to make sure that no adverse amendments are passed.
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/188/House/H4278
Thank you all for your continued efforts and dedication to our civil rights.
Jim Wallace Executive Director, Gun Owners’ Action LeagueAbout:
Gun Owners’ Action League is the official state firearms association in Massachusetts. We are an association of law-abiding citizens who believe in the basic right of firearms ownership for competition, recreation and self-protection. GOAL works hard to defend the Constitution and the Bill of Rights against those in Massachusetts who wish to infringe upon the freedoms guaranteed by our forefathers. The programs sponsored and developed by Gun Owners’ Action League are supported by competitors, sportsmen, recreational shooters and law enforcement throughout the state. We were formed in 1974 to protect the right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. We are recognized as the state’s premier gun rights association. www.goal.org
This press-release is total bunk. The new bill, H.4278 is just as bad as the previous one H.4121.
This new bill contains all the language required to make FID cards “may issue” at the discretionary prerogative of the local police chief. And if it becomes law, MA residents no longer have any gun rights.
Instead, MA residents will need to ask for permission – which can be denied to anyone – even to own a .22 rifle.
This is nothing to cheer about.