You can view the July 21 program, “The State of Massachusetts Gun Laws” featuring Representative David Linsky here. The main points are below.
- Changes to Massachusetts licensing process to comply with the Bruen decision of the U.S. Supreme Court (read the LWVUS analysis of the Bruen decision here. The House passed Amendment #13 in the Judiciary IT bond bill H.5046 on July 21. The amendment revises current firearm licensing statutes to comply with the Bruen decision.
- Reduces the duration of a license to carry or possess firearms in Massachusetts from six years to three years
- Eliminates the requirement for an applicant to show good reason when seeking a license to carry
- Prevents anyone subject to a temporary or permanent harassment prevention order and/or those who poses a risk of danger to their self or others from receiving a license
View the text of the amendment by clicking on the link above to H.5046 and scrolling down to Amendment 13. The Senate is expected to act quickly on the bill.
- An omnibus gun violence prevention bill will be filed at the start of the new session in January 2023
Read House Speaker Mariano’s full statement here. We expect our LWVMA priorities concerning ghost guns/3D printed guns (H.2491 /S.1540) as well as crime gun data analysis and reporting (H.2437/S.1562) to be included in the omnibus bill. We look forward to working on the gun violence prevention omnibus bill in early 2023.
- Our third legislative priority this session remains in play
H.4928 An Act to Create Alternatives for Community Education Services [ACES] is active. It was referred to the Joint Committee on Healthcare Financing. Addressing civilian response to 911 calls, the bill was revised and bundled with four other bills on the same issue. We will update you on the status when the Legislature ends its formal session on July 31.