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Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:43 am
by DispositionMatrix
H4038: "An Act banning semi-automatic firearms."
https://malegislature.gov/Bills/192/HD3091
1 SECTION 1. Subsection (b) of section 61 of chapter 90 of the General Laws, as
2 appearing in the 2018 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking out the words “assault
3 weapon”, in line 13, and inserting in place thereof the following words:- any rifle or shotgun
4 containing a semiautomatic mechanism.
Also:
7 SECTION 3. Said section 121 of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by
8 striking out the definition of “Large capacity weapon” and inserting in place thereof the
9 following definition:-
10 “Large capacity weapon”, any firearm, rifle or shotgun: (i) that is semiautomatic with a
11 fixed large capacity feeding device; (ii) that is semiautomatic and capable of accepting, or
12 readily modifiable to accept, any detachable large capacity feeding device; (iii) that employs a
2 of 5
13 rotating cylinder capable of accepting more than ten rounds of ammunition in a rifle or firearm
14 and more than five shotgun shells in the case of a shotgun or firearm; or (iv) any rifle or shotgun
15 containing a semiautomatic mechanism. The term “large capacity weapon” shall be a secondary
16 designation and shall apply to a weapon in addition to its primary designation as a firearm, rifle
17 or shotgun and shall not include: (i) any weapon that was manufactured in or prior to the year
18 1899; (ii) any weapon that operates by manual bolt, pump, lever or slide action; (iii) any weapon
19 that is a single-shot weapon; (iv) any weapon that has been modified so as to render it
20 permanently inoperable or otherwise rendered permanently unable to be designated a large
21 capacity weapon; or (v) any weapon that is an antique or relic, theatrical prop or other weapon
22 that is not capable of firing a projectile and which is not intended for use as a functional weapon
23 and cannot be readily modified through a combination of available parts into an operable large
24 capacity weapon.
25 SECTION 4. Secti
https://www.billtrack50.com/billdetail/1384863

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 9:48 am
by lurker
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Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:22 am
by featureless
Fuck that noise.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:39 am
by senorgrand
I assume there's a law enforcement exemption. Their hypocrisy knows no bounds.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:47 am
by lurker
?

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:47 pm
by FrontSight
If SCOTUS takes the case, that will not stand. It's clearly in violation of the Heller ruling. Heller specifically states semi-automatic handguns are legal under the 2nd Amendment.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:21 pm
by DispositionMatrix
FrontSight wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 12:47 pm If SCOTUS takes the case, that will not stand. It's clearly in violation of the Heller ruling. Heller specifically states semi-automatic handguns are legal under the 2nd Amendment.
That would be a long way away.
  1. Bill would need to pass and be signed into law.
  2. Someone would have to bring a case, citing _harm_.
  3. Years of litigation:
    1. The plaintiff would lose in any MA courts.
    2. The plaintiff would lose in the 1st Circuit.
    3. SCOTUS would either punt or rule in favor of MA.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:45 pm
by highdesert
The mantra of the anti-gunners "common sense gun laws", but that's their code for pushing to ban all guns. First it will be semi-auto rifles and shotguns, then semi-auto handguns and on and on. Only two sponsors right now so it might go no place

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:48 pm
by lurker
.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:19 pm
by Llew
I don't see that going through, or else not standing for long.
(Meantime, lots of people are just as fast with a wheelgun or a lever-action.)

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 3:26 pm
by FrontSight
highdesert wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:45 pm The mantra of the anti-gunners "common sense gun laws", but that's their code for pushing to ban all guns. First it will be semi-auto rifles and shotguns, then semi-auto handguns and on and on. Only two sponsors right now so it might go no place
Their goal at a minimum is to regulate all firearms in the European fashion.
"Common sense gun laws"... It's funny how EVERY last piece of legislation seems to meet that definition.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 6:58 pm
by wings
There's a lot of old-school .22s that fit that definition.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Tue Aug 03, 2021 11:24 pm
by Kayin
Well if Democrats want to own the authoritarian look, then keeping this shit as their primary policy goal is a winner.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2022 9:39 am
by DispositionMatrix
H.4038 has advanced in the MA House. It has 4 Democratic sponsors.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:20 pm
by highdesert
The anti-gunners in FL had a ballot measure to do the same thing.
On June 3, 2020, the Florida Supreme Court in a 4-1 ruling determined that the ballot summary was misleading and blocked the measure from appearing on the 2022 ballot.
https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Ban_on_ ... ive_(2022)

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:38 pm
by DispositionMatrix
highdesert wrote: Wed Apr 27, 2022 1:20 pm The anti-gunners in FL had a ballot measure to do the same thing.
On June 3, 2020, the Florida Supreme Court in a 4-1 ruling determined that the ballot summary was misleading and blocked the measure from appearing on the 2022 ballot.
https://ballotpedia.org/Florida_Ban_on_ ... ive_(2022)
MA has the ballot initiative (BI) as well. I am surprised John Rosenthal's firearm prohibition group Stop Handgun Violence, which has advocated strongly against both semi-automatic rifles and handguns, has not gotten a petition together. The state is 80% Democratic, so they would have no problem meeting the signature criteria for a semi-auto ban BI.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:14 am
by F4FEver
highdesert wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:45 pm The mantra of the anti-gunners "common sense gun laws", but that's their code for pushing to ban all guns. First it will be semi-auto rifles and shotguns, then semi-auto handguns and on and on. Only two sponsors right now so it might go no place
I agree the MASS proposed law is idiotic and will go nowhere but anti gunners can push for a 'ban all guns' all they want but that will never happen. NOBODY in any government knows who has what in terms of guns...NO government has the $, infrastructure or political will to confiscate the millions of guns 'out there'.

And yup, "they" could just make them illegal, but that'll never happen either...SCOTUS and Heller has already decided that. Eyewash...

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:43 am
by sikacz
F4FEver wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:14 am
highdesert wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:45 pm The mantra of the anti-gunners "common sense gun laws", but that's their code for pushing to ban all guns. First it will be semi-auto rifles and shotguns, then semi-auto handguns and on and on. Only two sponsors right now so it might go no place
I agree the MASS proposed law is idiotic and will go nowhere but anti gunners can push for a 'ban all guns' all they want but that will never happen. NOBODY in any government knows who has what in terms of guns...NO government has the $, infrastructure or political will to confiscate the millions of guns 'out there'.

And yup, "they" could just make them illegal, but that'll never happen either...SCOTUS and Heller has already decided that. Eyewash...
Paying attention lately, the ninth appeals court hasn’t found one restriction worthy of being struck down and they certainly have not supported the ruling on Heller.

Re: Massachusetts Democrats push bill to ban "any rifle or shotgun containing a semiautomatic mechanism"

Posted: Sat Apr 30, 2022 9:04 am
by F4FEver
sikacz wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:43 am
F4FEver wrote: Thu Apr 28, 2022 9:14 am
highdesert wrote: Tue Aug 03, 2021 1:45 pm The mantra of the anti-gunners "common sense gun laws", but that's their code for pushing to ban all guns. First it will be semi-auto rifles and shotguns, then semi-auto handguns and on and on. Only two sponsors right now so it might go no place
I agree the MASS proposed law is idiotic and will go nowhere but anti gunners can push for a 'ban all guns' all they want but that will never happen. NOBODY in any government knows who has what in terms of guns...NO government has the $, infrastructure or political will to confiscate the millions of guns 'out there'.

And yup, "they" could just make them illegal, but that'll never happen either...SCOTUS and Heller has already decided that. Eyewash...
Paying attention lately, the ninth appeals court hasn’t found one restriction worthy of being struck down and they certainly have not supported the ruling on Heller.
And anything that they haven't 'struck down or supported', will go to SCOTUS.....