PoliticsPoliticsGun ControlGun Violence

Massachusetts Lawmakers Pass Bill Tightening State Gun Laws

Massachusetts Lawmakers Pass Bill Tightening State Gun Laws
Reuters
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By Elizabeth Barber

BOSTON, Aug 1 (Reuters) - Massachusetts lawmakers on Friday tightened the state's already strict gun laws by passing a measure that gives police chiefs authority to turn down a resident's requests to buy a rifle or shotgun if they believe the person may be a danger.

House lawmakers overrode objections from gun-rights advocates in the state Senate who had opposed the measure, worrying that police chiefs could abuse the authority to deny firearms to law-abiding citizens.

"We seek not to be the safest state in the nation but strive to make our communities the safest in the world," said House Speaker Robert DeLeo, a Democrat.

The bill now goes to Governor Deval Patrick, a fellow Democrat, who supports tightening the state's gun laws.

The measure broadens the authority of police, who were already allowed to deny sales of handguns to people who failed background checks. The new measure gives a police chief 90 days to petition a court to deny a firearms identification card to someone the chief believes to be unfit.

"This is an egregious violation of your Second Amendment rights," gun-rights lobbying group the National Rifle Association said in a statement released shortly before the bill's passage during a legislative session that went past midnight.

The group said it objected mainly to the firearms ID card provision, saying the bill "does contain some favorable provisions to gun owners."

The measure would allow people with restrictions on their gun licenses to seek judicial review and also declassifies self-defense spray as ammunition. (Editing by Scott Malone and Bill Trott)

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Before You Go

Gun Laws Around The World
United States(01 of10)
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The U.S. Constitution's Second Amendment affords Americans the right to "bear Arms," but each state has its own regulations. Photo credit: Whitney Curtis/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
United Kingdom(02 of10)
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Only licensed gun owners can buy and possess weapons in the UK. Hunting, target shooting or collecting are considered valid reasons to acquire a license, but self-defense is not. Civilians can't possess semi-automatic or automatic firearms, handguns or armor-piercing ammunition. Criminal offenders who have been in prison for more than three years are banned from having a gun. Photo credit: Peter Macdiarmid/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
Australia(03 of10)
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Australians can only possess a firearm with a license, and licenses are only granted for hunting, target shooting, historical collection, pest control, and occasionally for occupational reasons. Civilians can't keep semi-automatic rifles or shotguns, and gun ownership for self-defense is not permitted.Photo credit: Ian Hitchcock/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
Mexico(04 of10)
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Mexican law allows civilians to possess handguns and semi-automatic assault weapons, but only with a license. Valid reasons to request a license are hunting, target shooting, rodeo riding, collection, personal protection, or employment. Applicants must pass a background check and renew their licenses every two years.Nearly 70 percent of weapons found at Mexican crime scenes can be traced back to the United States, according to CNN.Photo credit: LUCAS CASTRO/AFP/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
Russia (05 of10)
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Russians must prove that firearms will be used for hunting, target shooting, historic collection, personal protection or security in order to get a license.License applicants must be 18 years old and pass a background check. Licenses need to be renewed every five years. Photo credit: DMITRY ASTAKHOV/AFP/Getty Images (credit:Getty)
China(06 of10)
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Chinese citizens are not allowed to posses firearms. Exceptionally, the government issues permission to own a firearm for hunting, sports shooting and animal control. Penalties for illegal selling of weapons ranges from three years in jail to the death penalty. Caption: Police display guns they seized from illegal traders at Chengdu Municipal Public Security Bureau on January 26, 2005 in Chengdu of Sichuan Province, China. (China Photos/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Canada(07 of10)
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Canadians can possess handguns, but need authorization to carry them. Possession of automatic weapons is prohibited (except when the weapon was bought before 1978) and semi-automatic weapons are tolerated in exceptional cases. Applicants for a license must pass background test, must follow a safety course and be certified by a firearms officer. Licenses are up for renewal every 5 years. Caption: Rifles are lined up as athletes prepare to compete in the women's Biathlon 4x6 km relay at the Whistler Olympic Park during the Vancouver Winter Olympics on February 23, 2010. (FRANCK FIFE/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Brazil(08 of10)
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Brazil has strict gun laws. Gun holders need to be 25, have no criminal record and attend safety courses. Licences are granted for reasons of hunting, target shooting, personal protection and security and must be renewed every three years. Caption: A policeman holds a seized machine gun at Morro do Alemao shanty town on November 28, 2010 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (JEFFERSON BERNARDES/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Japan(09 of10)
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As the Atlantic notes, few Japanese own a gun. Civilians in Japan are only allowed to have a firearm for hunting and with special permission for target shooting. License applicants need to pass a shooting range class and a background check. Licences have to be renewed every three years. Caption: A soldier of Ground Self Defense Forces' Central Readiness Force (CRF) walks past rifles prior to the inauguration ceremony of the CRF at Asaka camp in northern Tokyo, 31 March 2007. (TOSHIFUMI KITAMURA/AFP/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
Germany(10 of10)
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German civilians need to have a license to buy and hold firearms. Applicants need to be 21, pass a background check that assesses reliability and suitability and applicants under the age of 25 need to pass a psychological exam. Licenses are up for renewal every three years. Caption: A gun lies outside a branch of Postbank bank after an attempted robbery that left one guard dead October 29, 2007 in Berlin, Germany. (Sean Gallup/Getty Images) (credit:Getty)
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