'Unprecedented Gun Control' Passed In This State Legislature

The Massachusetts House of Representatives passed what’s being called the “worst anti-gun legislation in the country.”

State lawmakers voted 120-38 to enforce sweeping gun control measures that would impose ‘widespread bans on commonly owned firearms,’ The Epoch Times reports.

Massachusetts’s New Crackdown Bill Imposes ‘Unprecedented Gun Control’

The bill would impose ‘widespread bans on commonly owned firearms,’ according to gun rights advocates.https://t.co/bF1MHW1Ajo

— The Epoch Times (@EpochTimes) October 20, 2023

“It would mandate that key gun components be serialized and registered with the state, it proposes an enhanced system to curtail the flow of illegal guns into the state, and it seeks to modernize the existing firearm registration system,” the outlet wrote.

“It would also expand the state’s ban on assault weapons by prohibiting the purchase of AR-15-style weapons and would ban the conversion of a legal firearm into an illegal automatic weapon,” it added.

“This massive piece of legislation re-writes gun laws in the Commonwealth and imposes unprecedented gun-control,” the NRA Institute for Legislative Action said.

#Crime #Democrats #Guncontrol #Massachusetts #SecondAmendment #Selfdefense #USNews… https://t.co/uy5aWN9lIh

— Conservative Tribune (@conserv_tribune) October 23, 2023

“H. 4135 re-writes gun laws in the Commonwealth and imposes unprecedented gun-control. This is an ominous bill that includes the worst anti-gun legislation in the country,” the National Rifle Association of America-Institute for Legislative Action (NRA-ILA) said in a statement.

From the NRA-ILA:

This evening, anti-gun politicians in the Massachusetts House of Representatives passed H. 4135, “an act modernizing firearm laws” by a vote of 120-38. This bill, formerly known as HD 4420 and HD 4607, now heads to the Massachusetts State Senate.

NRA members and Second Amendment supporters are strongly urged to contact their State Senator to voice their opposition to this bill. You can contact your Senator now by clicking the TAKE ACTION button below.

According to the NRA-ILA, some of the measures in the legislation include:

Widespread bans on commonly owned firearms,
Eliminating due process through expanded “Red Flag” laws,
Implementing new “safe storage” mandates in and out of your home,
Instituting expanded gun registry programs,
Placing an extreme financial burden on gun-owners to price them out of being able to exercise their Second Amendment rights,
And much more.

“The proposed regulation would outlaw possession of firearms while intoxicated and prohibit firing guns near homes. It would ban carrying firearms in polling places, schools, and government buildings,” The Epoch Times writes.

“The comprehensive gun safety reform legislation that the House passed today will make Massachusetts residents safer, and will further strengthen the Commonwealth’s status as a national leader in the effort to combat gun violence,” said Democrat Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano.

“While Massachusetts annually ranks as one of the safest states in the entire country from gun violence, the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision nullified existing components of our gun laws, threatening the safety of the Commonwealth’s residents,” he added.

While Massachusetts annually ranks as one of the safest states in the entire country from gun violence, the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision nullified existing components of our gun laws, threatening the safety of the Commonwealth’s residents.

— Speaker Ron Mariano (@RonMariano) October 18, 2023

“With the passage of this legislation, the House has once again displayed an unwavering commitment to ensuring that Massachusetts remains one of the safest states in the country,” he said.

With the passage of this legislation, the House has once again displayed an unwavering commitment to ensuring that Massachusetts remains one of the safest states in the country.

— Speaker Ron Mariano (@RonMariano) October 18, 2023

The Epoch Times reports:

The Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association criticized the bill, voting unanimously last week to oppose it. The police chiefs are the ones who approve gun licenses in the state and will be tasked with enforcing the bill’s regulations.

There were also concerns that officers won’t be allowed to carry their weapons off-duty. This concern was addressed as lawmakers amended H. 4135 to allow off-duty officers to carry their guns, even in prohibited places such as government buildings and schools.

Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners’ Action League, told The Associated Press that H. 4135 is an overreaction to the U.S. Supreme Court’s New York gun ruling. He criticized the proposal for targeting gun owners rather than focusing on reducing crime.

“All of it goes against us, the lawful people. There’s nothing in there that goes after the criminals,” he said. “This is a tantrum. This is a flat-out tantrum.”

The bill was hotly debated in the House, with Republicans criticizing the strict measures.

“The 125-page bill — a priority for Democratic Massachusetts House Speaker Ronald Mariano — is in part a response to a 2022 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that U.S. citizens have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense,” the Associated Press stated.

Per AP:

The state Senate has yet to release its version of a gun bill. It will be up to both Democratic-led chambers to hammer out a single bill to ship to Democratic Gov. Maura Healey’s desk for her signature before it can become law.

Gun owners opposed to the bill say the measures outlined in the legislation do more to target gun owners than to reduce crime.

“All of it goes against us, the lawful people. There’s nothing in there that goes after the criminals,” said Jim Wallace, executive director of the Gun Owners’ Action League.

Wallace also said the bill is an overreaction to last year’s Supreme Court decision.

“This is a tantrum. This is a flat-out tantrum,” he said.

Supporters of the bill say it will help address holes in the state’s gun laws, while also responding to the Supreme Court ruling.

Read Bill H. 4135 HERE.