GIFFORDS Applauds Massachusetts House of Representatives for Passing Crucial Gun Safety Legislation

Washington DC — Today, GIFFORDS, the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, released a statement applauding the Massachusetts House of Representatives for passing An Act Modernizing Firearms Laws, a crucial piece of gun safety legislation. 

Joe Platte, State Legislative Manager for GIFFORDS:

“Massachusetts House legislators directly confronted the evolving crisis of gun violence by passing An Act Modernizing Firearms Laws. We are grateful to Speaker Marino and Chairman Day for their leadership, and to every legislator who voted to take a huge step in their commitment to save lives.

“As Senate President Spilka and Majority Leader Creem work to bring forward the Senate’s gun safety legislation, we stand ready to support them. Together, we can send bold legislation to the governor’s desk that will allow Massachusetts to continue leading the nation in the fight to end gun violence.”

• Improve firearm dealer inspections by requiring the Massachusetts State Police to conduct inspections of local gun dealers.
• Strengthen Massachusetts’s assault weapons prohibition by expanding it to cover more firearms and facilitate the enforcement of the prohibition.
• Raise the age for possession of a semi-automatic long gun (rifle or shotgun) to 21.
• Expand current prohibitions on devices that increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic firearms. 
• Create a special legislative commission to examine the funding structure for community-based violence prevention services in the Commonwealth, ensuring that it is both impactful and equitable.
• Direct the Department of Criminal Justice Services (CJIS) to collect and analyze a wider range of data on firearms and firearm crimes, and regularly make that data available to the public. 
• Address the growing problem of ghost guns by requiring all firearms manufactured, assembled, possessed, purchased, or transferred into Massachusetts to be serialized, so law enforcement can trace them if they are used to commit a crime. 
• Strengthen the state’s concealed carry laws in the aftermath of the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision.
• Strengthen the existing extreme risk protection order (ERPO) law by expanding the list of individuals eligible to file an ERPO to include licensed health care providers, school administrators, and employers.
• Establish a commission to study and report on the feasibility of microstamping and smart gun technology, with a report due in September of 2024.

MEDIA REQUESTS

Our experts can speak to the full spectrum of gun violence prevention issues. Have a question? Email us at media@giffords.org.

Contact