BOSTON — The roster of lawmakers who will have the gargantuan task of trying to reconcile the divergent House and Senate firearms safety bills is now full.
The Senate ended its formal session Thursday by appointing Majority Leader Cynthia Creem of Newton, Assistant Majority Leader Joan Lovely of Salem and Minority Leader Bruce Tarr of Gloucester to represent the branch in conference committee talks with the House.
The House this week appointed Judiciary Committee Chair Michael Day of Stoneham, Public Safety Committee Chair Carlos Gonzalez and Judiciary Committee ranking minority member Rep. Joseph McKenna as its negotiators.
The branches took different approaches to addressing many of the same issues in their bills.
The conference committee is going to have to try to settle on a compromise approach to reining in so-called ghost guns, addressing the use of 3D printers to manufacture or assemble firearms without a license, amending the list of people who can petition a court to remove someone’s ability to possess guns if they are deemed dangerous, delineating where or whether firearms can be carried in government administrative buildings, and updating the information that firearms licensing agencies get about applicants who have been involuntarily hospitalized for mental health reasons.
Talks on a final bill, if Democrats can agree on one, will need to wrap up by July 31, when formal business ends for this legislative term.
“That’s almost every bill that we take up. You know, that’s the legislative process,” Senate President Karen Spilka said in late January when asked about the differences between the House and Senate gun bills. “”I believe it’s a very strong bill. It will really make our commonwealth safer. We have strong gun safety laws now. This will even improve on that and help improve the safety for all of our residents. So, we’ll pass it, and then we’ll meet with the House. And I’m hoping that we get something to the governor’s desk before the session is over.”
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Evening Briefs: Gun Bill Conferees | Senate Sex Edu Vote | Marty Walsh For USPS Board
Evening Briefs: Gun Bill Conferees | Senate Sex Edu Vote | Marty Walsh For USPS Board
Evening Briefs: Gun Bill Conferees | Senate Sex Edu Vote | Marty Walsh For USPS Board
Colin A. Young
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