Paul Revere by Cyrus Dallin, North End, Boston

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Monday, August 25, 2014

New Gun Legislation Signed by Massachusetts Governor Patrick




The events in Ferguson, Missouri, and the Middle East took precedent over this important piece of legislation that Governor Patrick signed two weeks ago.  

Good for him and good for Massachusetts.





Massachusetts Governor Deval Patrick signs gun bill into law saying, 'It's a good bill, an important bill'



BOSTON - Gov. Deval Patrick signed into law on Wednesday a bill reforming the state's gun laws, with provisions focused on school safety, mental health, background checks and enhanced criminal penalties for gun crimes.

"This bill was more complicated ... more difficult, more challenging than many of us thought, but it's a good bill, an important bill, an important step forward, and it reflects a truth that we all ... have a stake in safe neighborhoods," Patrick, a Democrat, said during a signing ceremony.

"In very sensible ways and in compromise, this bill helps us all toward that goal." The bill was the result of a lengthy process. After a 2012 mass school shooting in Newtown, Conn., state lawmakers filed 60 bills related to gun violence. A task force held hearings around the state then made recommendations to the legislature, where House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a Winthrop Democrat, proposed a comprehensive gun violence bill.

 DeLeo's bill was opposed by gun rights opponents and went through multiple revisions before the House and Senate finally reached an agreement. The bill passed on the last night of the legislative session. The final compromise was over whether to give local police chiefs discretion when issuing firearms identification cards, which are required to buy a shotgun or rifle.

Until now, the police chiefs only had that discretion for licensing handguns. The new law allows police chiefs to go to court and petition a judge to find a license applicant unsuitable.






(per capita) 

1)  Louisiana
2)   Mississipi
3)   Alaska
4)   Wyoming
5)   Oklahoma
6)   Montana
7)   Arkansas
8)   Alabama
9)   New Mexico
10) South Carolina 



 (per capita)



1)   Rhode Island
2)   Hawaii
3)   Massachusetts
4)   New York
5)   New Jersey
6)   Connecticut
7)   New Hampshire
8)   Iowa
9)   Minnesota
10) Wisconsin




6 comments:

skudrunner said...

Looks like a reasonable firearms law. I think most reasonable citizens believe we need a reasonable firearms law just not a lw that targets gun owners.

As to Belk's incident. I agree it is a shame but why did they suspect him of something in the first place. It is not like Beverly Hills is a conservative compound where they target people of color even people with purple, green and yellow hair.

Dave Miller said...

Skud, do you think any of the commenters at some of the other more conservative blogs you visit would call this a reasonable firearms law?

I think not, which shows how far we've come... those on the right that speak the loudest and are the most demeaning of left leaning positions will in no way support a bill that even you, find reasonable.

Is it any wonder we are where we are?

Les Carpenter said...

Not having read the bill as written in its entirety  I cannot comment on whether I believe it is a good bill or not. On my to do list.

Skud, as for Belk, bottom line... he was innocent of suspected wrongdoing, the process was shabby.

Would a white person, with or without fluorescent purple, green, or yellow hair, have been treated as the innocent Belk was?

skudrunner said...

David,

Kind of like those on the left that speak the loudest about how Everything that goes wrong is the fault of the GOP. Every bill in the senate that won't come to the floor is the fault of the GOP.
Is it any wonder we are where we are? No we need to get rid of all of our elected elite and start new..

If this was LA (lower Alabama) where this happened it would have been on every MSM news but Beverly Hills the land of the uber rich liberal, they should be ashamed.

okjimm said...

Skud.... yes, it is a reasonalble law, and it is needed.

Why did they suspect him in the first place?????? Duh, you living in a vacuum? Have you not digested anything from recent posts and news? HE WAS WALKING AROUND BEING A BLACK DUDE!!!!!! In the eyes of some law enforcement...that is sure suspicious. gees.

Dave Miller said...

No Skud, there are plenty of people like you who would welcome a little moderation in the GOP, but the folks commenting at those sites refuse to consider anything outside their "norms."

Sorry, but this is a GOP issue. Obama proposed a grand bargain to drop the deficit and cut spending. Every single GOP presidential candidate rejected a 10 for 1 drop in relation to spending and taxes.

Both if these ideas pissed off the left, but the left would have voted for it.

The left would pass the bill you call reasonable today... Who do you think would oppose it?

When the GOP controlled govt during the Bush Admin, the GOP said the majority of Americans had spoken with their votes and they had a right to legislate based on that. What happened to that view once Obama became Pres?

Sorry... The Dems and Obama are not perfect, far from it. But where we are today is on the failure of the moderates in the GOP to reign in the extremists in their midst.