Earlier this year Massachusetts Representative Michael Day (D-Middlesex) introduced HD4420 – An Act to Modernize Firearm Laws. This piece of
legislation, which was both complicated and extensive, sought to overhaul firearm laws in the commonwealth in a variety of ways.
While HD4420 has been stagnant for the last several months and has yet to receive a public hearing, last Wednesday, October 4, Rep. Day introduced a new, similarly complicated and extensive firearm bill – HD4607 – also called ‘An Act to Modernize Firearm Laws’. Unlike HD4420, this new bill was quickly scheduled for a public hearing on October 10th in the MA House Committee on Ways and Means.
Working under BHA’s North American Policy Statement supporting the Second Amendment, the Massachusetts Team opposed HD4607, specifically highlighting concerns with how the bill, if passed, would negatively affect youth hunting opportunities in the commonwealth, and would discontinue Massachusetts’ access tradition of allowing hunting on unposted privately-owned land.
Read Massachusetts BHA’s Testimony
According to the Committee on Ways and Means, the deadline to submit testimony is Friday October 13th at 5PM by emailing [email protected]. Be sure to clearly include the both the bill number (HD4607) and your position (oppose) in your email.
Massachusetts residents can also express their concerns with HD4607 directly to their Representatives and Senators (Find your Rep/Sen here).
About Chris Borgatti
BHA Eastern Policy & Conservation Manager