Thank you for reading this edition of Gun Reform Roundup: the latest news from the Commonwealth, New England, and the Nation.

Here are the biggest stories this week:

1) Update on Concealed Carry Reciprocity

The U.S. House Judiciary Committee voted along party lines to forward the dangerous Concealed Carry Reciprocity legislation out of committee, without allowing any amendments that would have kept guns out of the hands of violent criminals and domestic abusers. Its next stop will be a floor vote in the House of Representatives. Read more from Politico and watch CNN’s coverage of law enforcement leading the fight to #StopCCR.

Defeating this bill is the number one priority for our organization and every other major gun violence prevention group, including Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Giffords, and the Brady Campaign.

For your weekly action, we need you to use this form to email your Representative NOW and ask them to reject Concealed Carry Reciprocity.

What is Concealed Carry Reciprocity?

• CCR, also known as Federally-Mandated Concealed Carry, would make it legal for more dangerous and untrained people to carry loaded, hidden guns in more public places in Massachusetts.

• This bill would totally decimate Massachusetts’ gun permitting system by forcing our state to allow ANYONE who is allowed to carry a gun in their home state, to carry guns in Massachusetts, regardless of the licensing requirements in that state. We have the lowest gun death rate in the nation, thanks largely to our permitting requirements. We must not go backward; public safety requires it.

• This is not a national standard, it is a race to the bottom where the states with absolutely no permitting requirements become the law of the land.

• Even in the wake of the worst mass shootings in modern American history, Congress is still bending to the will of the gun lobby to put more guns in untrained hands across America.

• Police chiefs across our state and nearly every law enforcement agency have proclaimed opposition to this bill because of its disastrous consequences for public safety. Officers would have to become experts on licensing requirements for all 50 states, and the bill would hold officers personally liable if they question the validity of someone’s concealed carry permit. This would undoubtedly lead to some violent offenders slipping through.

• National Law Enforcement Partnership, Survivors of Gun Violence, the American Bar Association, National Faith Groups, the League of Women Voters, and 17 state Attorneys General have all written letters to Congress urging them to oppose this dangerous legislation.

2) Nationwide Vigils Planned for 5th Anniversary of Sandy Hook Shooting

Spearheaded by the Newtown Action Alliance’s National Vigil in Washington, DC, there will be vigils held to honor victims of gun violence and discuss actions to prevent future deaths. Next week will mark the 5-year anniversary of the Sandy Hook shooting in Newtown, CT. Please sign up for this ThunderClap to support the vigils on social media.

A list of Massachusetts vigils can be found at the bottom of this email. There will be events in Boston, Beverly, Westford, Warwick, Northborough, Andover, Arlington, Amesbury, Natick, Topsfield, Hyannis, Williamstown, and Westfield. Some are as soon as TOMORROW!

3) Stop Handgun Violence Sends Powerful Message to Congress and Trump

Our founder John Rosenthal wrote: “We decided to send a graphic wake-up call to President Trump and nearly 300 members of Congress who have sided with the gun lobby in opposing common sense gun safety laws.”

“The invitation–sent to the White House and Congressional offices in Washington, DC–bears grim, graphic photos of the aftermath of the Las Vegas shooting and reads: ‘You are invited…to wipe the blood off your hands and end mass shootings.'”

WARNING THESE LINKS CONTAIN GRAPHIC IMAGES: Read more from The Boston Globe and The Hill.

4) NPR Discusses Concealed Carry Reciprocity with Johns Hopkins Public Health Researcher Daniel Webster

This man always has very insightful things to say about public health legislation. He has done more research on gun laws than perhaps any other scientist in the world. Read or listen to the piece from NPR.

5) Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Allies Building Online Tools to Help Disarm Domestic Abusers

Nobody should have to live in fear of an armed domestic abuser. The new tools and website will launch next year.

6) CBS MoneyWatch: Gun Violence Is a Massive Financial Burden to the American People 

Some estimates put the total annual cost of shootings in America to be $100 billion, while others put it even higher. More from CBS MoneyWatch.

7) Philadelphia Police Commissioner: Time to Take Responsibility for Gun Violence 

Read the op-ed by Philly Police Commissioner Richard Ross: “Gun violence affects us all.”

8) Supreme Court Denies Changes to Gun Laws in Maryland and Florida

The U.S. Supreme Court declined to hear challenges to an assault weapons ban in Florida and an open-carry ban in Florida, leaving the law in place and protected.

9) NBC News Discusses Gun Lobby Influence on the Judiciary

10) New England Journal of Medicine on Gun Violence as a Public Health Epidemic

11) Wrongful Death Claim Filed Against the U.S. Air Force for Sutherland Springs, Texas Shooting

Thank you for reading this mid-week edition of Gun Reform Roundup: the latest news from the Commonwealth, New England, and the Nation.

Before we get into the HUGE gun reform news this week, a quick reminder that you can still make a tax-deductible contribution to Stop Handgun Violence in honor of Giving Tuesday! Click here. Any amount that is meaningful to you will make a big difference.

Here are the biggest stories this week:

1) House Judiciary Committee to Mark Up Dangerous Concealed Carry Reciprocity Bill at 10:00am TODAY (11/29)

TODAY at 10:00am, the U.S. House of Representatives is moving forward with dangerous Concealed Carry Reciprocity legislation at a mark-up hearing of the House Judiciary Committee. Defeating this bill is the number one priority for our organization and every other major gun violence prevention group, including Everytown, Moms Demand Action, Giffords, and the Brady Campaign.

For your weekly action, we need you to use this form to email your Representative NOW and ask them to reject Concealed Carry Reciprocity.

What is Concealed Carry Reciprocity?

• CCR, also known as Federally-Mandated Concealed Carry, would make it legal for more dangerous and untrained people to carry loaded, hidden guns in more public places in Massachusetts.

• This bill would totally decimate Massachusetts’ gun permitting system by forcing our state to allow ANYONE who is allowed to carry a gun in their home state, to carry guns in Massachusetts, regardless of the licensing requirements in that state. We have the lowest gun death rate in the nation, thanks largely to our permitting requirements. We must not go backward; public safety requires it.

• This is not a national standard, it is a race to the bottom where the states with absolutely no permitting requirements become the law of the land.

• Even in the wake of the worst mass shootings in modern American history, Congress is still bending to the will of the gun lobby to put more guns in untrained hands across America.

• Police chiefs across our state and nearly every law enforcement agency have proclaimed opposition to this bill because of its disastrous consequences for public safety. Officers would have to become experts on licensing requirements for all 50 states, and the bill would hold officers personally liable if they question the validity of someone’s concealed carry permit. This would undoubtedly lead to some violent offenders slipping through.

For more, read our blog post about Concealed Carry Reciprocity and don’t forget to take this easy weekly action.

2) ICYMI – Boston Herald Opposes Silencer Deregulation in Massachusetts

In a stunning editorial, the Boston Herald sided with Stop Handgun Violence founder John Rosenthal over gun industry lobbyists in the debate over whether to lift Massachusetts’ ban on silencers. We are so thankful for their words in support of public safety.

The Herald quoted Rosenthal’s testimony at the November 16th Public Safety Committee hearing: “Don’t be fooled by thinking that somehow the silencer bill is a hearing protection act. It is not. I can tell you as a gun owner who has hunted, nobody hunts or shoots at a range without hearing protection. It’s a fraud being played on you guys and across the country.”

3) Nationwide Vigils Remembering Victims of Gun Violence

As we near the five-year anniversary of the horrific massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, vigils are being planned in honor of victims of gun violence at locations across the nation. Scroll to the Upcoming Events section at the bottom of this email for information about Massachusetts vigils. Please sign up for this ThunderClap to support the vigils on social media.

4) Johns Hopkins University Releases Report on Concealed Carry Facts and Fictions

According to the gun lobby, carrying concealed weapons allows potential victims of crime to defend themselves. But is that how it works in reality? Read the report.

5) NPR: What If We Treated Gun Violence Like a Public Health Crisis?

NPR and All Things Considered did a piece on why many physicians and public health officials have called for gun violence in the United States to be addressed as a public health crisis comparable to a disease outbreak. They also delve into the hurdles–the will and the funding are just not there. But the public health community agrees they should be.

6) North Shore Public Health Officials on Gun Violence Crisis

In a letter to The Salem News, public health officials from Saugus, Hamilton, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Salem, Swampscott, and the Essex County Board of Health have joined the chorus calling for a public health approach to the gun violence epidemic. The Salem News ran a great story on their commitment to safety in Massachusetts.

7) Worcester Surgeon and Gun Violence Prevention Advocate Dr. Michael P. Hirsh

The Worcester Telegram and Gazette published a lengthy interview with Dr. Michael Hirsh as part of their Sunday Sit-Downs series. Dr. Hirsh co-founded the Goods for Guns gun buyback program, which has had great success in Worcester. He believes doctors belong in the middle of the gun reform debate.

8) NBC News: States, Cities Shame Congress by Banning Rapid-Fire “Bump Stocks”

NBC News ran a national piece on Massachusetts’ swift passage of a ban on bump stocks after their high-profile use in the Las Vegas Strip Massacre. Congressman Seth Moulton and state Rep. David Linsky are highlighted in the piece.

9) U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee to Discuss Bump Stocks and Background Checks

10) U.S. Supreme Court Rejects Gun Lobby Case Against Maryland’s Assault Weapons Ban

11) CBS News: Donald Trump, Jr. Met Russian with Ties to Kremlin at NRA Event

Happy Thanksgiving! Thank you for reading this Turkey Day edition of Gun Reform Roundup: the latest gun reform news from the Commonwealth, New England, and the Nation.

During this time when we reflect on what we are thankful for, the SHV staff are thinking about our allies in elected office like Rep. Marjorie Decker, who took a courageous stand in support common sense gun laws at last week’s Public Safety hearing at the State House. Join us in thanking her by signing this letter.

We’re also thankful for supporters like you who keep Stop Handgun Violence up and running. This giving season, please consider contributing so we can continue to grow our public awareness campaigns. Giving Tuesday isn’t until next week, but there’s nothing wrong with getting a head start.

Here are the biggest stories this week:

1) Mass. State House Hearing on Gun Bills Features Strong Grassroots Support for Gun Reform

The Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security heard testimony last week on dozens of bills relating to firearms. Supporters of sensible policies to prevent gun violence and suicides filled the room with orange-shirts and strong words of support for Attorney General Maura Healey.

Gun rights activists were also present–including paid lobbyists from the NRA and GOAL–but the Boston Herald Editorial Board was not convinced by their reasoning behind lifting a ban on silencers in the Commonwealth, citing testimony from Stop Handgun Violence founder and known gun-owner, John Rosenthal.

2) A Year-Long Investigation Tracing 23,000 Stolen Guns in America; Another Tracing the Violence Surrounding Just One

“American gun owners, preoccupied with self-defense, are inadvertently arming the very criminals they fear.” This week, The Trace published a fascinating piece on their year-long investigation into stolen guns. Working with dozens of local NBC stations, The Trace identified 23,000 stolen guns recovered by police between 2010 and 2016–the vast majority connected with crimes.

Related, the Washington Post published a chilling story tracking one illegal gun. The headline reads: “One illegal gun. 12 weeks. A dozen criminal acts. The rapid cyle of gun violence.”

3) One Dead After a Violent 24 Hours in Boston

The Boston Police Department is investigating a string of shootings in Roxbury, Mattapan, and Roslindale that took place in the span of 24 hours last Friday and Saturday. Some the events seem to be related, including one incident where police were called to the scene of a shooting and found the suspect dead of a self-inflicted gunshot nearby.

Boston Police Commissioner William Evans said the violence was “troubling” and his department is investigating. He added: “unfortunately, sometimes we have this little burst of activity in the city, but it’s still one of the safest cities in America.”

4) Remington Gun Manufacturer Under Severe Financial Stress

From Forbes: “Following the spate of mass shootings over the last several months, it has become clear that Congress and the Trump Administration have no plans to enact new gun control regulations. That might be welcome news for gun enthusiasts, but it’s actually a bad omen for gun manufacturers.”

Remington is one of several firearm manufacturers owned by Cerberus Capital Management, a company that also owns Shaw’s, Star Market, and Osco Drug. Recently, Stop Handgun Violence founder John Rosenthal called for a boycott of all these brands. Print this letter and bring it to your local store to tell them why they lost your business.

5) Worcester’s Police and Medical Communities Come Together for Gun Violence Reduction Project

The Project will be funded by grants from the Health Foundation of Central Massachusetts. According to the Worcester Telegram and Gazette, the project “will work with the Worcester Police Department and the Worcester medical community to facilitate temporary safe storage for gun owners to prevent someone with mental health or substance abuse issues from accessing a gun.”

6) Hartford Courant Editorial: Let Sandy Hook Parents Sue

Parents of elementary school children murdered in the massacre at Sandy Hook School in Newtown, CT are trying to persuade the state Supreme Court to let them sue Bushmaster, the manufacturer of the weapon used in the slaughter.

The Hartford Courant editorial staff have voiced their support: “Congress won’t stop the slaughter. It prefers shielding the gun industry from lawsuits. May the Sandy Hook parents succeed in puncturing that shield.”

7) Scientific American: Four Laws to Stem Mass Shootings

Scientific American published a piece countering the “new laws will not make us safer” argument from the gun lobby. They provide evidence that four specific policy changes would save lives.

Scientific American also published a rebuttal to the gun lobby’s favorite researcher: known fraud John Lott. Scientific American calls Lott’s claims out for what they are: false. Lott has a history of fudging data and was caught writing reviews of his own work under the name Mary Rosh, a woman who claimed to be an adoring student of his.

8) Energy & Commerce Committee Holds Forum on Public Health Solutions to Gun Violence

9) Trump’s “Not Qualified” Judicial Nominee Has Record of Gun Lobby Favoritism

Greetings Advocates!

The biggest story this week is the public hearing this Thursday, Nov. 16th at 11am in State House Room A-1 in Boston. There will be testimony for dozens of gun-related bills at this hearing, and we need activists like you to show up in large numbers. If you can’t attend, scroll down to make calls and sign our letter to the committee.

Come to the hearing!

Thursday 11/16, 11:00AM, State House Hearing Room A-1

Wear orange!

The NRA’s Massachusetts affiliate GOAL will certainly be showing up, and if we don’t match their numbers, we could see the legalization of silencers and even less oversight on gun manufacturers.

If you can’t make it to the hearing, please take a few minutes to call the Committee. Call 617-722-1485 (Senate Chair Mike Moore) and 617-722-2230 (House Chair Harold Naughton). Here is a sample script of what to say:

“Hi, my name is [Your Name] from [City or Town]. I am calling to tell the Public Safety Committee that I support S1292 introduced by Senator Cindy Creem. This bill aims to track illegal trafficking of firearms by collecting and reporting data on multiple-gun purchases in Massachusetts. Please report S1292 out favorably. I oppose S1317 and S1340, which would lift the ban on silencers in Massachusetts and urge you NOT to report these bills favorably. Same with H1284 and S1326 which I also oppose, and would give weapons manufacturers immunity to the Attorney General’s consumer protection regulations aimed at deceptive trade practices. Thank you.”

Thank you for taking the time to support gun violence prevention! You can also sign this letter to the Committee in support of Senator Creem’s data collection bill.

Here are the biggest stories this week:

1) Mass. Legislature to Hear Gun Bills

As mentioned, the Massachusetts State Legislature will hear dozens of gun-related bills at a Hearing of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security. Please attend the hearing on Thursday at 11am in State House Room A-1 and #WearOrange! Details here. Please also sign our letter of support for Senator Creem’s data collection bill.

2) Divesting From Gun and Ammunitions Manufacturers

The New York Times published a piece about divesting from gun manufacturers, featuring an interview with Stop Handgun Violence Founder John Rosenthal. John said it best at the end of the article: “Why don’t these funds just call these investments what they are: merchants of death.”

Locally, Stop Handgun Violence has been pushing for a boycott of Shaw’s, Star Market, Osco Drugs, and Steward Healthcare (including St. Elizabeth’s Medical Center), because these companies are owned by Cerberus Capital Management. Cerberus also owns Remington and Bushmaster, manufacturers of handguns, ammo, and assault rifles. Click here to read more and print a letter to take to your local Shaw’s or Star Market.

3) A Veteran’s Perspective on Assault Weaons – U.S. Rep. Seth Moulton

“There’s simply no reason for a civilian to own a military-style assault weapon. It’s no different than why we outlaw civilian ownership of rockets and landmines. Thankfully, Congress has the ability and authority to eliminate the civilian sale of these weapons of war. We have before, and we should again.” Read more of the article by Congressman Seth Moulton.

4) Concealed Carry Gun Mayhem in Haverhill

“Two Haverhill men – one charged with shooting another man in the foot out of jealousy, and the other accused of threatening his family with handguns – both continue to be held without bail as dangers to society pending their next court dates.” Read more here.

5) Tip O’Neill on Guns – Inaction Can No Longer Be an Option

The former Speaker of the House of Representatives from Massachusetts wrote a blog post about gun reform in the wake of mass shootings in Texas and Las Vegas.

6) Speaker DeLeo and SHV Founder John Rosenthal Discuss Gun Reform

The two progressive powerhouses from Massachusetts spoke with Jim Braude of WGBH News about the possibility of gun reform. Video and article here.

7) Giffords Law Center Sues ATF to Uncover Extent of NRA Influence

8) Researchers at UCSF on Impact of Gun Laws on Domestic Violence

9) Faiths United Demands Action in Congress on Gun Violence

10) Worcester Semi-Annual Gun Buyback Program

The next gun buyback in the City of Worcester will be held in December. Stay tuned for more details! Read about the program here.

Dear Friends,

You are invited to attend a public hearing concerning access to guns, held by Massachusetts’ Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security, next Thursday, Nov. 16 at 11am in State House Hearing Room A-1. Please come make your voice heard and help keep Massachusetts the safest state in the nation. Please save the date to come and support gun violence prevention (wear your orange t-shirts if you have them!). Click for hearing details and click “A-1” on this page for directions to the Hearing Room.

If you can’t make it to the State House, please call the committee members today at 617-722-1485 (Senate) & 617-722-2230 (House), in regards to the following legislation: support S1292 (data collection on multiple gun purchases); oppose S1317 & S1340 (silencers), H1296 (prohibits cities and towns from passing any laws regulating guns), H1284 & S1326 (stripping Attorney General Maura Healey of her power to prosecute illegal guns). Also, please call and email your legislators today regarding the legislation to be heard.

At this hearing, the Joint Committee will be hearing dozens of gun bills. Despite the public’s distaste for loosening gun regulations, the majority of these bills are straight out of the NRA’s playbook: deregulating silencers, taking away the Attorney General’s power to regulate firearms like other consumer products, doing away with our assault weapon ban, and more.

You can be sure that–despite the recent tragedies in Las Vegas and Texas–members of the Massachusetts NRA Affiliate, GOAL, will be showing up in large numbers to push for easier access to guns and silencers, and less accountability for gun manufacturers. Your presence in support of gun violence prevention will speak volumes, nobody is required to testify.

More information about the hearing and a complete list of the bills to be heard can be found here. And more information about all the gun-related bills introduced in Massachusetts can be found here. Stay tuned for more details.

Finally, we want to remind everyone that Giving Tuesday is 3 weeks away! Please consider directing your generosity toward preventing gun violence this year on Tuesday, November 28. You can donate early here.

Thank you!

The Stop Handgun Violence Team

Today we are all mourning another tragic mass shooting, this time at a church in Sutherland Springs, Texas where at least 26 have died and dozens more injured. We all know by now that the response of the gun lobby and the politicians they have paid to put in office will be to delay discussion of legislative solutions indefinitely (“it’s too soon to talk about gun control”).

We know it’s not too soon; it’s too late. We all know it.

While federal legislation may have little chance of success, the Massachusetts’ legislature has shown–as recently as last week–that the Commonwealth will take action to protect it’s citizens in the face of danger. Please join us by clicking here to send an email to your State Representative, urging them to support Extreme Risk Protection Order legislation that allows concerned family members and law-enforcement officers to petition for the temporary removal of guns from people who are deemed by the court to be a danger to themselves or others.

If, like us, you are scared for our country and inspired to act, take two minutes to find your State Representative here and give them a call, asking them to support H3081, An Act Establishing Extreme Risk Protection Orders. Thank you for your commitment to a safer state and a safer nation.

Here’s your weekly gun reform update:

1) 26 Church-Goers Killed and 20 Wounded in Texas Mass Shooting

John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence, published a statement in response to the latest tragedy: “…Sutherland Springs, Texas lost 7% of their population today. How many others will be shot and killed in vain?” Read the full statement here.

2) 33 State AGs Urge Congress to Assess Bump Stocks

Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey lead a coalition of 33 state Attorneys General who sent a letter to U.S. Congressional leadership, expressing concern about how bump stocks may be used to evade the laws that regulate machineguns. Read the letter and the Mass AG office’s press release.

3) Massachusetts Bans Bump Stocks and Trigger Cranks

After both the Massachusetts House and Senate passed budget amendments banning bump stocks, a conference committee reconciled the two versions and effectively banned bump stocks in Massachusetts. Acting-Governor Karyn Polito signed the bill into law while Governor Baker was on vacation, making Massachusetts the first state to ban the accessory–used to mimic automatic gunfire–since they were used in the Las Vegas strip massacre last month. More here.