By Joseph P. Tartar | Executive Editor
How would you like Massachusetts-style gun licensing laws in your state?
Sen. Edward Markey (D-MA) has filed a bill—S.2546— in the US Senate that would incentivize other states to adopt similar police-supervised gun licensing everywhere. The measure has one co-sponsor: Sen. Elizabeth Warren, also a Massachusetts Democrat.
Markey promoted his bill while grandstanding at a March 12 news conference at Boston police headquarters, attended by Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh, a sanctuary city advocate, and Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans, and other local law enforcement officials..
Markey’s measure is called the Making America Safe and Secure (MASS) Act. It would authorize the Department of Justice to award $20 million in each of the next five years to states that adopt gun licensing standards similar to those already in force in the Bay State.
To qualify for the grants, states would have to require all gun owners to be licensed and applicants to undergo a background check. First time licensees would have to complete firearms safety training and provide references stating that they are of sound mind and good character. Local police chiefs would have the discretion to deny, suspend or revoke s firearms license if they deem a person unsuitable to have a gun. Due process would be observed by the establishment of a judicial review process for anyone appeal a police chief’s decision.
To support the proposal designed as a response to the Valentine’s Day school shooting in Parkland, FL, Markey claimed that Massachusetts has the lowest gun death rating of any state in the Union.
Some observers note that despite the enthusiastic sendoff by Markey and local officials in his home state, his proposal faces significant opposition in Congress, especially from representatives from a majority of the states, even those with handgun licensing provisions of their own. The bill has been referred to the Judiciary Committee. As of this writing, there is no House version.
