Page 12 THE SAUGUS ADVOCATE – FriDAy, OCTObEr 27, 2023 Rep. Wong opposes gun reform bill Says bill will negatively impact law enforcement and licensed gun owners S tate Representative Donald H. Wong (R-Saugus) recently opposed a major gun reform bill, saying it will do nothing to reduce crime and will instead have a negative impact on lawful gun owners in the Commonwealth by infringing on their Second Amendment rights. House Bill 4135, An Act modernizing fi rearm laws, was passed by the House of Representatives on a vote of 120-38 on October 18. In voting against the bill, Representative Wong cited a number of concerns, including the process used to bring the bill to the House fl oor, the lack of information on how much it will cost, and the restrictions it will place on law enforcement offi cers that will severely compromise their ability to perform their job. House Bill 4135 now moves to the Senate for its consideration. It has drawn strong opposition from the Massachusetts Chiefs of Police Association (MCOPA), whose members recently voted unanimously to oppose the bill. The Gun Owners Action League (GOAL) also opposes the bill. According to Representative Wong, House Bill 4135 would establish a gun registration database, impose restrictions on “ghost guns” (homemade, untraceable firearms), expand the state’s extreme risk protection order (ERPO) law and increase the number of “prohibited areas” where fi rearms would not be allowed. Additionally, House Bill 4135 would require the Department of State Police to auction certain firearms surrendered or seized due to a suspension or revocation of a license or permit, rather than dispose of them, while also requiring State Police offi cers to conduct inspections of licensed gun dealers. One of the biggest concerns cited by MCOPA is that the bill’s “prohibited areas” provision – which was included in response to last year’s Supreme Court decision in the case of New York State Rifl e & Pistol Association v. Bruen – contains no comprehensive carve-outs for off -duty and retired police offi cers. An amendment adopted during fl oor debate only partially addressed this issue in a very narrowly defi ned manner. Retired Chief Mark K. Leahy, who currently serves as MCO8 Norwood St. Everett (617) 387-9810 Open Daily 4:00 PM Closed Sunday Starting Monday, September 11... We’re back to serving our Full Menu featuring all your favorite Italian Specialties and American Classics! Catch ALL The Live Sports Action On Our Large Screen TV’s www.eight10barandgrille.com Donald H. Wong State Representative PA’s Executive Director, also noted that the gun registration requirement included in House Bill 4135 “will do nothing to reduce gun violence or reduce gun deaths,” and instead emphasized the need to focus on “the swift and vigilant prosecution of the criminals engaging in these felonious acts, and a renewed embracing of what ‘mandatory minimum sentences’ means.” Representative Wong noted that Massachusetts already has some of the strictest firearm laws in the country, along with the lowest rate of deaths associated with gun violence. He said the vast majority of gun-related crimes are committed with illegal weapons and not with legally owned firearms, adding that the focus of the bill should be on punishing those who break the law – rather than targeting law-abiding citizens. Representative Wong criticized House leadership for doing an end run around the joint legislative committee process by attaching the gun bill to a supplemental spending bill in the House Ways and Means Committee and reporting it “in part” with only the gun bill language included. He also criticized the lack of a fi scal note detailing the costs of the legislation, which is required under House Rules for any proposal that is expected to cost more than $100,000 to implement. ~ Political Announcement ~ Don Cicolini of Moving Saugus Forward seeks a seat on the Charter Commission M y name is Donald Cicolini, and I am running for election to the Charter Commission, if the charter review is approved. I was born in Saugus in 1972. I have lived in other towns and diff erent states for a bit, only to return to a different Saugus. Our town has changed in many ways. Becoming involved with the petition for the charter review, I have seen the need for a change. Also, while talking to thousands of residents, who I got to sign the petition, the consensus is a need and want for change. Many of our residents conveyed to me they feel the Charter is outdated and the need for accountability is real, starting at the top Town Manager position and the appointment process. Being an elected member of the commission, along with eight other individuals, will give us the opportunity to have open transparent discussions to execute the change our fellow residents are asking for moving our wonderful town forward. As stated, one major change I feel is the need for an “Elected” Town Manager. Our current Appointment Process is antiquated. Several current Town Offi cials have stated the change will make us a city. I feel this is a scare tactic to sabotage the process, to make our residents believe our town will no longer exist and become a city. They have also stated that we can’t have an “Elected” Town Manager with our current governance structure. This has been proven to be false. I have been involved with this proposed Charter Review process since the beginning, putting in hundreds of hours myself to obtain the thousands of signatures needed to have this question on the ballot. I will work hard for our fellow town residents and tirelessly for the Commission, personally investing in the Town of Saugus, seeing it move forward. I am also looking forward to working for the thousands of residents I spoke with during the petition process. I will actively listen, ask probing questions, and work with both sides with an open mind to make a positive impact for our great town.
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