House Set to Debate Bill Tomorrow, May 23
Boston, MA– Tomorrow, May 23, the Massachusetts House of Representatives is scheduled to act on the Extreme Risk Protection Order (ERPO) bill, H.4517. The ERPO bill has broad support, including from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association, the Massachusetts Major City Chiefs of Police, multi-denominational faith leaders,and alumni of Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida – site of a February mass shooting that killed 17 people and wounded 17 more. A recent WBUR poll also showed that a majority of Massachusetts voters favor stronger gun violence protection laws such as the ERPO bill.
In advance of a vote on this important bill, the following is a statement of support from Stop Handgun Violence (SHV):
“We applaud Speaker Robert DeLeo and Representative Marjorie Decker for their continued leadership and tireless commitment to gun violence prevention and public safety in the Commonwealth,” said John Rosenthal, founder of Stop Handgun Violence. “Despite opposition and misinformation from extremist gun rights organizations across the country, the Massachusetts Legislature is continuing to be a national leader in passage of bipartisan and effective gun laws that have reduced gun deaths in Massachusetts by over 40 percent since 1994.
“We are extremely proud of the gun laws we currently have in Massachusetts, but we know that there is still more we can do to protect public safety here. The extreme risk protection order bill empowers families and law enforcement to take action when a close relation is in crisis, while preserving the individual’s right to due process. While police already have broad discretion in firearms licensing in Massachusetts, the ERPO bill provides a critical immediate tool for families, which law enforcement does not currently have, to protect loved ones and public safety. We look forward to passage in the House tomorrow and to working with the Massachusetts Senate and Governor Baker to make the ERPO bill law as soon as possible.”
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Stop Handgun Violence(SHV) is a Massachusetts based non-profit organization committed to the prevention of gun violence through education, public awareness, effective law enforcement and common sense gun laws. SHV has been the lead advocate in Massachusetts for enactment of the most effective gun violence prevention laws and first in the nation consumer protection regulations. The organization does not seek to restrict Constitutional rights,but advocates only for common sense legislation that will help save lives. For more information, go to www.stophandgunviolence.org