Status of New Gun Control Legislation in Massachusetts

Like a great many other states – as well as the federal government — Massachusetts legislators are uncertain how to move forward with any new gun control legislation. While some people argue that there are already too many gun control laws on the books, others claim we need to further address how background checks are handled, what size magazines (ammunition clips) should be available and which types of assault weapons should be banned.

How Some High-Profile Massachusetts Politicians Currently View Gun Control

• Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick has proposed new legislation to better track weapon sales and the number of guns an individual can purchase each month, among other provisions;
• State Representative  David Linksy (D-Natick) has introduced new gun legislation containing 25 provisions, including limitations on monthly gun purchases and forbidding the sale of large capacity magazines;
• State Representative John Fernandes (D-Milford), who claims to be well versed on all sides of gun control issues, has not yet made any specific recommendations. Instead, he says he’s counting on members of the state’s Gun Control Task Force to provide meaningful guidance to lawmakers.

A Review of Key Issues Confronting Leaders on Gun Control Issues

• Many residents are worried about having their Second Amendment rights to own and use many different types of guns infringed – they claim there are few guarantees that new legislation will actually improve safety in Massachusetts;

•  Numerous questions remain about the best ways to handle background checks so that mentally ill individuals and those with criminal records can be properly excluded from gun ownership;
• Some Massachusetts residents are opposed to further limiting the number (and types) of guns (and the amount of ammunition) any one person can purchase during one month;
• Different views exist as to how “assault rifles” should be classified and reduced in availability;
• Others citizens question whether new age restrictions are necessary to control who should be allowed to purchase assault rifles and various types of gun paraphernalia

The Recent Federal Government Decision on Passing Stricter Gun Control Laws

The U. S. Senate’s recent decision to reject stricter gun control measures by a vote of 54 to 46 will probably lower the chances that many state legislatures will move forward aggressively to pass tighter gun control legislation. (Only Connecticut – where the recent school massacre took place has already passed new legislation this year.)

Conclusions

How Massachusetts will move forward with any of the new gun control measures proposed on Beacon Hill remains to be seen. All eyes should probably stay focused on the federal government’s moves to predict this issue. Talk of another vote at the federal level on gun control legislation may either never take place or prove unsuccessful – only time will tell.

By Elizabeth Smith