October 11, 2017
Greetings!
Take Action: Please call
your State Senator
ASAP at the MA State House, 617-722-2000 and urge them to oppose the "bump stock" language passed today by the MA House in entirety.
Today, with no warning, the Massachusetts House of Representatives added an emergency amendment to their budget based on legislation filed by Representative David Linsky (D) Natick. They voted it through with only three no votes.
The language of the amendment was in three parts. The first outlines a ban on components that can be added to a firearm, rifle, or shotgun that could increase the rate of fire,
“Whoever possesses, owns or offers for sale any device which attaches to a rifle, shotgun or firearm, except a magazine, that is designed to increase the rate of discharge of the rifle, shotgun or firearm or whoever modifies any rifle, shotgun or firearm with the intent to increase its rate of discharge, shall be punished by imprisonment in the state prison by not less than 3 nor more than 20 years.”
The second part states that the bill,
“shall take effect 180 days after the effective date of this act.”
The third part states,
“The Secretary of Public Safety shall promulgate regulations by January 1, 2018 concerning the allowability of maintenance and enhancement of rifles, shotguns and firearms consistent with the intent of this section.”
The budget, including this amendment, will be voted on by the Massachusetts State Senate tomorrow.
TAKE ACTION
Please call your State Senator ASAP at the MA State House, 617-722-2000 and urge them to oppose this language in entirety.
Notes:
The first part is loosely worded and doesn’t provide definition as to what rate of fire is. As written it will include any gun including a bolt-action rifle. In other words, if a bolt-action rifle is modified so that the bolt can operate with more ease, or less friction, it could be considered a felony.
The third part is extremely egregious, as it will give the state regulatory authority over the maintenance and enhancement of all firearms. Can you imagine what our Attorney General will do with this?
