Minor RKBA victory for MA gun owners.

[-..__...]

It wasn't the whole enchilada that I would have liked :(, but given the history and bug-eyed paranoia of a few gun-grabbing pin heads in the MA legislature, we came out better than I had expected. :D


"Senate votes to extend state's assault weapons ban

BOSTON (AP) The state Senate voted Thursday to extend the state's ban on the sale or import of military style semi-automatic weapons.

Supporters said the bill is needed to guarantee the state prohibition will remain even if Congress fails to renew a similar federal ban set to expire in September.

The Senate first approved, then quickly rejected, an attempt to close what critics described as a ''loophole'' in the original law that allowed the sale and transfer of assault weapons owned prior to 1994"...
More

Sadly, the MA AWB will continue to be in effect past the sunsetting of the Federal AWB on Sept, 14th 2004. Realistically speaking, this was not unexpected or surprising. Given the original language of the bill as first proposed, it could have been much worse... it would have mandated greater restrictions. At least for now, pre-ban AW's manufactured before Sept, 13th 1994 and post-ban AW's, will still be legal to own and sell in MA.

The AWB aside; where MA gun owners made real progress was in reform of the licensing restrictions.

http://goal.org/Alerts/mayreform.html

The next step is on to the House where it should easily pass.

Over the past few months, myself and others, spent a bit of time writing letters and making phone calls working to get the best legislation passed as possible.

If not for the efforts of GOAL and Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D), MA gun owners would have been at the mercy of the Brady/VPC/MMM extremists.


(edited to add: final vote tally http://www.state.ma.us/legis/history/s02282.htm).

[papau]

1. Question and some comments

GREAT IDEA! - FID card and license is too damn large.
"Change the size of an FID card and license to the more manageable size of a driver’s license"

Again great idea - now it is by your birthday or you are out of luck - as I renew this year - when does this take effect?
"Add a 90 day grace period after the renewal date for both licenses and cards"

This one confuses me - in Newton I just went to the station to explain/pick up a gun my kids transported without license - by accident - did not know it was there - and voluntarily surrendered to nearest policeman. Why is the "receipt for confiscated firearms" needed - I had no problem.

Isn't the license and card terms 5 years now ?? - 6 years is nice too, but why the big deal - better would be to allow renewal without visit to Station and new photo and fingerprints. " Extend the license and card terms to six years"

An excellent idea - "Create a 7-person board to review the cases of persons denied licenses and cards due to old misdemeanor convictions"

[-..__...]

7. One small step at a time.

"GREAT IDEA! - FID card and license is too damn large".

Like a laminated baseball card.


"Again great idea - now it is by your birthday or you are out of luck - as I renew this year - when does this take effect?"

The revised language with amendments isn't available yet. I forget what the MA constitution says what the time frame is between a bill being signed by the Governor and when it goes into effect (unless an effective date is stipulated in the bill).


"This one confuses me - in Newton I just went to the station to explain/pick up a gun my kids transported without license - by accident - did not know it was there - and voluntarily surrendered to nearest policeman. Why is the "receipt for confiscated firearms" needed - I had no problem".

You're probably one of the lucky ones. I wonder how many legally owned
confiscated firearms have disappeared from LEO arms lockers over the years and the legal owner had no proof that the guns were seized?

"Isn't the license and card terms 5 years now ?? - 6 years is nice too, but why the big deal - better would be to allow renewal without visit to Station and new photo and fingerprints. " Extend the license and card terms to six years"

4 years, and the fee went up to $100.00 last year.

Sen. Brewer filed a bill that would have made an FID/LTC good for life
(as our original FID cards once were). It would have placed responsibility on local police chiefs (via occasional inquiries to the State Police), to ensure a person was still qualified to own a firearm in MA. Unfortunately, the bill hasn't moved because there was some concern over the loss of licensing fees. :mad:

[MrBenchley]

2. "Sadly"

Yeah, it sure is tragic that criminals ands nutcases will have to go out of state to get their shaky sweaty hands on assault weapons.....(snicker).

"If not for the efforts of GOAL and Sen. Stephen M. Brewer (D), MA gun owners would have been at the mercy of the Brady/VPC/MMM extremists."
Yeah, it would have been awful if people with misdemeanors were denied dangerous weapons....

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

3. Misdemeanors

Misdemeanor crimes of domestic violence prohibits one from owning weapons.

http://www.atf.gov/firearms/faq/faq2.htm#q

[OpSomBlood]

4. Stop trying to inject facts into his diatribes.

Facts don't matter to MrBenchley.

[WhiskeyTangoFoxtrot]

5. I know, I know

Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.

Call it hope for the hopeless.

[MrBenchley]

8. Sounds good to me...

[-..__...]

6. File a grievance with the MA legislature.

"Yeah, it sure is tragic that criminals ands nutcases will have to go out of state to get their shaky sweaty hands on assault weapons.....(snicker)".

<shrug> I guess they'll be heading for NJ then? Oops, no AW's in NJ.
Oh well, at least the "nutcases" and "criminals" will feel right at home.

"Yeah, it would have been awful if people with misdemeanors were denied dangerous weapons...."

For once I agree with you; it would be awful... correction, it is awful!

Of course, in your perfect gulag, those same people would be denied the right to vote, too.

[MrBenchley]

9. Yeah, cry us a fucking river

that people with misdemanor records ought not to have guns.

"in your perfect gulag, those same people would be denied the right to vote, too."
No, that was that scumbag Jebbo Bush...and he's pro-gun all the fucking way.