New Massachusetts Gun Law Could Effectively Ban Nonresident Hunters

A sweeping gun-control legislation handed earlier this yr in Massachusetts might negatively influence hunters—particularly nonresidents—who don’t perceive the restrictive laws.

The Nationwide Rifle Affiliation’s Institute for Legislative Motion (NRA-ILA) is warning that HB 4885, signed into legislation by Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey and which went took impact August 1, contains many new restrictions that would flip hunters into unintended criminals. Anti-gun lawmakers pushed the measure by means of each chambers of presidency in a short time and on the identical day—deliberately making it troublesome for events to review the language or foyer in opposition to the measure.

As hunter-backed teams famous following passage of the brand new legislation, it infringes on the rights of law-abiding Massachusetts residents and imposes limitations to the state’s hunter recruitment and reactivation efforts as a part of the nationwide R3 (recruit, retain and reactivate) motion.

For starters, earlier than a resident can hunt, she or he is now required to acquire a Firearm Identification Card (FID). This entails acquiring an teacher who’s authorized by the Colonel of State Police, finishing a live-fire train in an setting the place taking pictures ranges are more and more tougher to entry and buying and registering a firearm that’s not listed as prohibited.

Moreover, beneath the brand new legislation, nonresident hunters can’t possess a firearm inside Massachusetts until their state has related legal guidelines—and, in fact, most don’t, which is able to shut down nonresident searching. The legislation states, “A nonresident who’s at the least 18 years of age could possess rifles and shotguns that aren’t giant capability or semi-automatic and ammunition if the nonresident has a allow, card or license issued from their state of residence which has considerably related necessities to these of the Commonwealth… .”

In fact, this implies nonresidents won’t solely have a tricky time searching in Massachusetts, however the {dollars} they spend on searching licenses, which helps to pay for the state wildlife company’s conservation efforts, might be misplaced. From an financial standpoint, the state’s financial system additionally might be disadvantaged of the cash nonresident hunters spend on journey, meals and lodging.

And as NRA-ILA famous, HB 4885 goes past conventional centerfire searching rifles and creates new guidelines and necessities for vintage firearms and muzzleloaders. The Gun House owners’ Motion League (GOAL) lately identified that “possession of black powder (or substitutes), priming caps, musket balls, mini-balls, and so forth. would require an LTC or FID to buy and possess. It seems that a non-licensed particular person can personal the gun, however not something that may make it hearth.”

Massachusetts hunters and nonresident hunters planning to go to the Bay State this fall ought to be certain that they fully perceive the legislation earlier than going afield or touring into the state with firearms. For extra data, see GOAL’s full evaluation of the brand new legislation right here.

By the way, since Gov. Healey signed the measure into legislation, the NRA introduced it could problem the legislation in courtroom, and GOAL has taken step one to get sufficient signatures on a petition to place a measure to repeal the brand new legislation on the poll.