A gun rights organization, the National Association for Gun Rights, has cautioned firearm owners about living in or traveling to Massachusetts due to a recent gun control bill in the state legislature. This bill, An Act of Modernizing Firearm Laws, proposes far-reaching alterations to gun regulations, including mandatory registration of all firearms, age restrictions on buying or carrying certain firearms, a ban on concealed carry on private property without explicit permission, and more.
Austin Hein, the director of political operations for the National Association for Gun Rights, has said of the bill:
“If Massachusetts makes House Docket 4420 law, Massachusetts will become the most anti-gun state in the country. What Massachusetts is clearly trying to do here is basically repeal the Second Amendment as we know it.”
“This is real bad news for any gun owner that lives in Massachusetts. Basically, pack your bags and leave because it’s untenable if this thing passes.”
“So what this bill will actually do is prohibit a young high school girl from being able to defend herself with even mace. I think the states are trying to ban stun guns because I honestly think they just want to leave you defenseless.”
“Registration leads to confiscation. If you are putting yourself on a government list of what firearms you own and how many you own best be sure that the government is going to be knocking on your door one day.”
This legislation further extends its purview to include areas closely related to firearms, such as banning targets resembling human silhouettes at shooting ranges, prohibiting individuals under 18 from possessing mace or pepper spray, and classifying stun guns as firearms.
The group criticizes the bill, arguing that it restricts individuals’ abilities to defend themselves and infringes upon recent Supreme Court decisions upholding the right to carry a weapon in public. The bill’s proponents, however, aim to further enhance gun control measures to prevent misuse.
Furthermore, the proposed law expands Massachusetts’ “red flag law” to enable employers, school administrators, and healthcare professionals to request the suspension of a firearm owner’s license if they pose a potential threat to themselves or others. If enacted, this law would make Massachusetts one of the most restrictive states in the U.S. for gun owners.
