By Jim Wallace
Special to TGM
Just a little over a year ago, on June 26, 2023, the Speaker of the Massachusetts House of Representatives, Ron Mariano, released HD.4420. The proposal was so egregious, that even citizens outside of the 2A community were furious when they learned the details.
The language miraculously appeared within just a few weeks after Chairman Day held his mind-numbing “listening tour.” During the tour, Chairman Day constantly told the attendees that a bill had not been written. Maybe by him it wasn’t, but language so historically grotesque and extensive does not happen that fast. The other problem Day faced, almost immediately, was he could not explain the content or impact of the legislation to his House colleagues.
After a series of delays, and sleight of hand tricks that would make the best Vegas magician envious, a “revised” version of the bill was pushed through the House. The speed and “process” in which the bill was moved along represented a panic by the House leadership.
Subsequently, the Massachusetts Senate passed an “amendment” to the House bill. With only a few weeks left in the current legislative session, the House Speaker has promised that this will make it to the Governor’s desk.
If anything close to either version, House or Senate, becomes law we need to make sure whoever supported it OWNS IT! The question the legislators need to answer for themselves is, are they willing to face election after voting for the worst attack on civil rights in modern Massachusetts history?
As if the proposed bill was not bad enough; the “process” that legislators allowed to transpire is another giant shame they are going to OWN!
If any of this makes it to the Governor’s desk, we know she will sign it.
Over the last twelve months the 2A community did a great job exposing the absurdity of HD.4420 to the public. If any version of it becomes law, we must bring back that same energy to make sure the supporters of this historic attack on our civil rights OWN IT at the ballot box!
Let’s work towards the best outcome but prepare to do battle again!
Make them OWN IT!
Jim Wallace is executive director of the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League
