Breaking News

Hearings To Be Held on Qualified Immunity, Tear Gas and Heightened Gun Restrictions

The Massachusetts legislatures “Joint Committee” on the Judiciary, will conduct a public hearing tomorrow to examine several controversial legislative proposals. SB1970 filed by Senator Adam Gomez would seek to change language in the state’s qualified immunity law MGL C258. The changes would explicitly deny qualified immunity to any police officer, who could not establish that his/her conduct was “clearly lawful”. This wording change would begin to chip away at the protection officers currently enjoy under the law. MAPLE has consistently supported the current Massachusetts Qualified Immunity law. A second bill to be discussed is that filed by Representative Michael Connolly HB1425 would outlaw the use of teargas or CS gas. It is obvious that not much research has been done to support this bill. Experience alone would clearly indicate that to remove the option of tear gas from crowd control would have the single effect of increasing the likelihood of violence and bloodshed. Both bills will be open for public comment tomorrow at the statehouse. Further information on these bills and how to participate is attached.

MORE GUN CONTROL IS PROPOSED FOR MASSACHUSETTS

House bill HD4420 is being rapidly pushed through the legislature during the July session.  The bill intends to impose several new restrictions on gun owners.  It would allow private establishments (homes and businesses) to specifically ban persons, who are licensed to carry from entering their premises while armed.  The restriction would include off duty police officers.   The legislation would also require that all ammunition clips be serialized, requiring gun shops to make such serialization available.  The bill also mandates annual inspections by the state police of all gun and ammunition businesses. Also proposed are a plethora of administrative controls and oversight boards.  Reliable sources have indicated that this bill is facing stiff opposition from the public.  Gun Owners and members of the law enforcement community have joined together to push back on this proposal.    An overview offered by the Mass Chiefs of Police Association is attached for your review.

(Special Note:   MAPLE Update wishes to thank and recognize Frank Frederickson, the legislative director for the Fraternal Order of Police here in Massachusetts for providing us with timely information on these developments)

 Remember These Infamous Words

 “No man’s life, liberty or property are safe while the Legislature is in session.”

– Gideon Tucker, Attorney and Newspaper Publisher