On July 25 Breitbart News reported that Massachusetts police chiefs wanted “sole discretion” over who can purchase a long gun, be it a rifle or a shotgun.
On August 1 state lawmakers passed a bill that gives police chiefs such discretion.
According to Reuters, police chiefs already had final say on would-be handgun purchasers, and the new law would extend that by providing them with “the authority to turn down a resident’s request to buy a rifle or shotgun.”
House Speaker Robert DeLeo (D) commented on the law: “We seek not to be the safest state in the nation but strive to make our communities the safest in the world.”
On July 25 Breitbart News reported that Boston Police Commissioner William Evans spoke in support of giving police chiefs “authority” over long gun sales. At that time Evans also said, “For the most part, nobody in [Boston] needs a shotgun. Nobody needs a rifle.”
The gun control legislation now goes to the governor to be signed.
Follow AWR Hawkins on Twitter @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com.