Several of us have been covering all the shenanigans in Massachusetts these last few months/years, and specifically the Bruen-response drama that has unfolded. We’ve seen the introduction and stalling of bills. The morphing and bait and switch tactics with proposed legislation. We saw how the lawmakers decided to break from protocol to ram-rod their bill through the legislature with less than 24 hours to read the legislation. Post-enactment emergency preambles. A whole pile of draconian garbage. Our friends at the Gun Owners Action League have a page up that gives some up-to-date information on what the heck is going on with the challenges to the dumpster fire of a gun control bill that's now in effect. 

Chapter 135 GOAL Court Action Update - 10/29/2024

For several months GOAL has been coordinating with groups around the country concerning the new law. We are trying act as a sort of air traffic control for any actions brought. This is to make sure efforts are not duplicated and resources are being directed effectively. This will likely take years in court before anything is settled. Here is what GOAL has coordinated so far.

To get everyone up to speed, the law known as Chapter 135 was enacted earlier this year, and went into effect in part this month. In response to the enactment of the law, a new organization was formed, The Civil Rights Coalition.

The formation of the Coalition was important, because it gave the citizens an opportunity to keep the law from going into effect, and would have put it up for a ballot vote in 2026. As the group was approaching the needed signatures to stall the law, the governor was toying with signing an emergency preamble to the already signed law – after the fact.

“In an August 13, 2024 State House News Service article, Governor Maura Healey stated that she strongly opposes ‘…the petitioners’ attempt to suspend the law before their referendum seeking to repeal the law makes its way onto a statewide election ballot.’” GOAL stated.

In spite of overcoming insurmountable odds as well as roadblocks, such as those put up by the leadership of the “Big E,” the Coalition was on track. When it was apparent they were going to meet their deadline and be victorious, Governor Maura Healey, in a dictator-like move, signed a preamble after-the-fact, forcing the law into effect regardless of the petition drive outcome.

That leaves GOAL and the Coalition juggling litigation, because the law has gone into effect, even though the requisite signatures were gathered. In 2026, the law will go up to a ballot vote, but let’s hope some relief is found via the other paths prior to that.

First Filing:

Initial GOAL case, Theodore et al v. Campbell, involved the new training requirements and the licensing process. These two issues were chosen first because it could have potentially closed off the Second Amendment to those not yet licensed in Massachusetts. Additionally, license renewals are a serious problem as the local licensing authorities are not being given any guidance and some are refusing to issue licenses citing the new law. Keep in mind that the mandatory training for law enforcement on Chapter 135 has been suspended for 18 months

Almost as soon as GOAL filed the court action, the State issued a “guidance letter” suspending those pieces of Chapter 135. Our position is that this has no effect on our lawsuit.

Guidance letters can be rescinded at any time leaving citizens at risk. Citizens are still having to wait ridiculous amount of time to get an appointment to submit their application. We are told New Bedford appointments are now a year out. The licensing “regime” itself is a hot mess and needs to be challenged.

Theodore et al v. Campbell - Chapter 135 Training and Licensing Mandates 

The case has been filed (August 1, 2024) - Court filing document.

Next GOAL filing:

The next case we plan to file has to do with the new long gun roster and testing requirements. It will also involve other retailer mandates. As soon as it became known that GOAL was drafting this next court action, the State issued another guidance letter suspending the long gun roster piece of Chapter 135. There seems to be a pattern here. We are moving forward with this action regardless of any “guidance”.

Other actions:

National Rifle Association, Firearms Policy Coalition, Gun Owners of America and GOAL have joined together to pursue action against the new “Assault Style Firearms” laws, the prohibition on FID Card holders of any age possessing any semi-automatic and we are adding in the carry ban on 18 – 20 year olds. We hope to see this filed very soon.

GOAL has also worked to set up a group to tackle the massive non-resident issues in Chapter 135. We will not be taking this on directly as we are focusing our resources on the resident 2A community for the time being. When this effort comes together, we will let folks know.

Outside Action:

There is another retailer action brought by Mass Armament on a host of issues that will impede lawful commerce and likely put many retailers out of business. GOAL is not directly involved in this case, but we are in contact with them.

In addition to those actions, there are several other state-level challenges dealing with the law. For summaries of those, head over to GOAL’s information page on them HERE. For reference, those cases are:

• Donnell Case - Non-resident Licensing
  Lowell District Court
• Belchertown - Suitability
  Eastern Hampshire District Court (Doran v. Pacunas / docket 2498CV84)
• Westbrook Case - Suitability
  Westbrook v. Pratt - Holyoke District Court Docket Number: 2317CV0154

The total and complete depressing state of this reality is something I recently covered at The Truth About Guns. A very sobering fact needs to be related about the Massachusetts gun-owning community in the wake of Bruen.

One of the important things to realize when it comes to Massachusetts is that approximately 6% to 10% of the population are license-to-carry holders. That means that when Bay Staters are walking around doing their grocery shopping or are out in public, there are legally armed citizens in the vicinity. That’s the way the law has been for years, without incident.

Thankfully the Gun Owners Action League is working with everyone and anyone who wants to get into the fight. There seems to be plenty of litigation underway and/or on the way. For those of you who have been following the nightmare scenario of the Bay State Bruen-response law, this is the latest and the greatest. For more information or to make a much-needed donation, head over to goal.org

Maybe after the election, we’ll be hearing from our favorite GOALies on Cam and Company? Paging Big Jim. Paging Mike. [Editor's Note- We'll definitely be talking to Jim Wallace, Mike Harris, Toby Leary, Nolan Howard, and other 2A voices in Massachusetts on Cam & Co in the coming weeks. - Cam]