Bump Stock Bill passes Massachusetts House and Senate
By Sarah Maugaotega 10/19/17
Massachusetts is closer to banning devices that allow a semi-automatic gun to mimic full a fully automatic weapon.
In reaction to the recent mass shooting Las Vegas, Nevada, State Representative David Linsky proposed and filed legislation that would ban any device that when attached to a semi-automatic weapon, like a rifle or a shotgun, increases the rate of discharge to that of an automatic weapon, also known as a “bump-stock”.
The measure was proposed as an Amendment to House Bill 3951 and bans “…any device which attaches to a [firearm]… that is designed to increase the rate of discharge.” This overarching vocabulary could be interpreted to ban certain attachments that make semi-automatic rifles more user-friendly.
It passed the House on Wednesday, October 11 by a vote of 151-3
Opponents of the bill say the wording is too vague and doesn’t specifically mention bump stock anywhere.
In an online article posted the same day as the legislative meeting, the National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action, (NRA-ILA) claimed that this ban makes it harder for gun users, and that some gun modifications make for more accurate, controlled shooting. The NRA-ILA urged readers to call their senators in hopes that the bill would not pass the Senate.
A similar measure passed the in the Senate Thursday, October 12.
The House and Senate must work together on a compromise bill to be voted on by each chamber. The Governor has indicated support of the ban.