H.2259 Hearing. A great first step.1/27/10

1/28/10. Yesterday was a great first step towards reforming our current gun legislation. A well attended public hearing provided the vehicle in initiating the process of H. 2259 becoming law.

MA. State Rep George Peterson introduced the legislation to the committee, impressing them with an enormous stack of letters of support from GOAL members and citizens of the Commonwealth.

The afternoon was filled with testimony, GOAL Executive Director Jim Wallace was well received by the committee, providing great commentary on our current laws, discussing the many problems with our current licensing standards, discussing statistics showing how our current laws are failing our state, and how we can protect the Constitutional Rights of our law abiding citizens while punishing violent criminals.

We look forward to continuing discussions with our legislators on this bill. Please continue to monitor the progress here.

Click here for story from the State House News Service

The GOAL Staff would like to thank all that attended, and a huge thank you to all that took the time to speak in favor. Great job all!

 

H. 2259 Has a Hearing Date! 1/18/10

Wednesday January 27th 2010 11:00 am. Room A1 at the State House
This will be the initial public hearing in regards to GOAL's Civil Rights and Public Safety Bill H. 2259.

Please check this site often as the date approaches, hearings at the State House are prone to being re-scheduled.

If you can attend we would love to have each and every one of you there in support.

It's time to reform our unconstitutional gun laws, and this is where we start.

GOAL's Civil Rights and Public Safety Act has been assigned
House Bill Number, H2259. 

This Bill has been assigned to the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security.  We urge our members to contact the members of the Committee and ask they support this landmark bill.
Click Here to View the Full Text of the Bill

Members appointed to the committee:

Senators
Timilty of Bristol and Norfolk - Chair
Brewer of Worcester, Hampden, Hampshire and Franklin - Vice-Chair
Buoniconti of Hampden
Candaras of First Hampden and Hampshire
Joyce of Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex
Brown of Norfolk, Bristol and Middlesex

Representatives
Costello of Newburyport - Chair
Donelan of Orange- Vice-Chair
Toomey of Cambridge
Ayers of Quincy
Nangle of Lowell
Alicea of Charlton
Campbell of Methuen
Aguiar of Fall River
Ashe of Longmeadow
Perry of Sandwich
Hill of Ipswich

 

GOAL Files Civil RIghts And Public Safety Bill

On January 14, 2009 in what many hope will be a turning point in Massachusetts history, State Representative George Peterson electronically filed the Civil Rights and Public Safety Act (CRPSA). That Wednesday was set to be the deadline for filing legislation for the 2009 – 2010 legislative session.

“Filing the reform legislation was the first official step in putting the Commonwealth back on track after decades of failed laws and policies that have only succeeded in abusing the civil rights of lawful citizens,” said Jim Wallace Executive Director of GOAL. “This legislation represents a new concept, at least for this state, to keep guns out of the hands of violent criminals by reforming our gun laws to make them clear, comprehensive and effective. They should be tough on criminals and easy to enforce. However, our gun laws also should do more to respect the individual right of every citizen of the United States to keep and bear arms and we believe we can do both at the same time! Unlike the tragic mistakes that took place in 1998, the Commonwealth desperately needs real reform with real results.”

Over the next few weeks, the House Clerks office will assign the bill a number and then it will be assigned to a committee. GOAL will keep its members informed concerning the official movement of the bill. 

Click here to view "A Decade of Disaster" information about the complete failure of MA. Gun Control.