Massachusetts House Speaker Mariano Delays Anti-Civil Rights Bill
Blames the U.S. Supreme Court for not Being Able to Oppress Citizens
On Monday, July 24, 2023 Massachusetts House Speaker Ron Mariano issued a statement to the members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives. In the release, he announced a delay on any action regarding HD.4420. The bill is referred to as the “Lawful Citizens Imprisonment Act” by the Second Amendment Community.
HD.4420 represents, perhaps, the most egregious anti-civil rights legislation filed by a high-ranking legislative official in this century. Mariano had previously set an aggressive deadline for passing the oppressive act by July 31, 2023. A tremendous goal since the bill was only filed on June 26, 2023.
“It is painfully clear that, whoever actually drafted the bill, had no idea the firestorm of opposition it would set off, said Jim Wallace, Executive Director of Gun Owners’ Action League (GOAL). “It was painfully obvious to anyone who paid attention that the, so-called, “listening tour” was a sham from the beginning. Even the opposition to the Second Amendment during the tour continually said that lawful gun owners were not the problem. Chairman Day echoed that sentiment many times, but his legislation reflected just the opposite.”
As GOAL has stated several times since this bill was filed, the Speaker and Chairman Day seem to be channeling Governor Wallace of Alabama after Brown v. Board of Education just 50 years after that infamous speech.
GOAL will continue to work with its members to battle any further oppression of our Second Amendment community. It seems that a government willfully neglectful in punishing criminals, will find another group to persecute to cover up their true intensions.
Massachusetts House Speaker Mariano July 24, 2023“As you have heard me say many times, the Bruen decision fundamentally changed how courts review state gun laws and immediately jeopardized aspects of the laws that have made our Commonwealth a national leader in reducing gun violence. While the House’s commitment to pursuing a comprehensive update remains steadfast, a new legal landscape will be the greatest threat to those efforts.”
Governor George Wallace (Alabama) June 11, 1963“The unwelcomed, unwanted, unwarranted and force-induced intrusion upon the campus of the University of Alabama today of the might of the Central Government offers frightful example of the oppression of the rights, privileges and sovereignty of this State by officers of the Federal Government.”
The Speaker’s Full Release to House Members:
Honorable Members –
Thank you for your attendance at last week’s leadership briefings and continued conversations regarding the House’s gun violence legislation. Many of your questions were centered around the challenging new legal landscape following the Bruen decision. I am thankful for the productive feedback that we received, as well as for the legislators and members of the public who participated in the 11 listening sessions around the Commonwealth. I would also like to offer my sincere gratitude to Chairman Michael Day for thoroughly engaging the public and putting forward such a thoughtful bill for our consideration.
As you have heard me say many times, the Bruen decision fundamentally changed how courts review state gun laws and immediately jeopardized aspects of the laws that have made our Commonwealth a national leader in reducing gun violence. While the House’s commitment to pursuing a comprehensive update remains steadfast, a new legal landscape will be the greatest threat to those efforts. That is why the House believes that we must thoroughly evaluate all of the proposals made in HD4420 over the Summer, and that House Members must have the chance to continue to speak with their constituents and provide feedback. House leadership will continue to work on the bill until it is ready for debate this Fall.
The House believes that the Joint Committee on the Judiciary is uniquely equipped to navigate the legal challenges brought on by SCOTUS decisions, just as it did during our initial response to Bruen and the overturning of Roe. We remain disappointed that the Senate delayed our intended review of this gun violence legislation by insisting on its referral to the Public Safety Committee, despite the fact that just last year, the Senate insisted that a different late-filed bill proposing changes to our gun laws be referred to Judiciary instead of Public Safety. Regardless, you have my word that we will spend the ensuing weeks working with you to address concerns and questions you and your constituents may have about the proposed legislation.
As the House continues its efforts over August, we will work with the Membership, as well as with constituents, advocates and legal experts to ensure that our proposal will make Massachusetts safer, while also standing the test of time.
Sincerely –
Ron Mariano
House Speaker
