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January 28, 2011Gun Owners' Action League. |
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In This Issue.
- News from the Web
- GOAL's 2011 Legislation
- Mail Order Ammo Sales
- Volunteers Needed!
- RIP Darius Arbabi
- MA Senate Announces Leadership Team
- Annual Raffle
- Annual Meeting and Awards Breakfast
- The GOAL Foundation 2011 Course Schedule
- Hunting News
- Upcoming Events
- Affiliated Club Info
- Neshooters 2011 Summit
- Note About Forwarding The Friday News
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News/Editorials and other tidbits from the Web.
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- Check out the all new MassGunLawReform.com! This is our site dedicated to our Civil Rights and Public Safety Bill which was filed this week
- NRA to Congress: Don't mess with Gun Laws. The NRA has begun to push back at congressional proposals to further tighten gun laws
- Cheney opens door to tighter gun restrictions. The bill would limit the number of "clips" sold in the U.S. to 10 rounds maximum.
- ATF request to require multiple sales reports for long guns delayed. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) was moving to require federally licensed firearms retailers to report multiple sales of modern sporting rifles beginning January 5, 2011
- Some DC Lawmakers are now carrying concealed. While some lawmakers are responding to the mass shooting in Arizona by introducing legislation to increase gun control or asking for additional security, others say they're going to start exercising their Second Amendment rights and carry weapons.
- What a difference a few miles makes. NH Legislators vote to allow CCW at the State House. Which leads to a question, why are the citizens of MA less trustworthy than our Northern neighbors?
- Comm2A announces Hightower v. Boston Right to Carry case in MA. The plaintiff's counsel is now Alan Gura and Chester Darling who are being supported by the Second Amendment Foundation (SAF) and Commonwealth Second Amendment, Inc (Comm2A).
- NJ Governor Christie commutes gun owners prison sentence -- NRA hails decision, calls for real reform.The National Rifle Association praised New Jersey Governor Chris Christie for commuting the prison sentence of Brian Aitken-a gun owner who was arrested, convicted and imprisoned for illegal possession of firearms, even though he had made every effort to comply with New Jersey's restrictive and confusing laws.
- New Gun Shop in Holliston causes a stir. Heavner stocks a full range of pistols as well as long rifles.
- ATF to require multiple sales reports for long guns. The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) is moving to require federally licensed firearms retailers to report multiple sales of modern sporting rifles beginning January 5, 2011
- "Assault Weapons" and the Truth The Obama adminsitration has hired an anti-gun zealot as the U.S.'s top gun cop
- Follow this case! NRA challenges the constitutionality of handgun ban for law-abiding 18-20 year olds.The suit asserts: "At eighteen years of age, law-abiding citizens in this country are considered adults for almost all purposes and certainly for the purposes of the exercise of fundamental constitutional rights.
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GOAL's 2011 Legislation
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 We are excited to announce that our legislation for the 2011 Season has been filed!
At this time GOAL is asking our members to call your state representative and senator, and urge them to co-sponsor these bills!
Please note that these bills have not received official numbers yet, when asking your representative or senator to co-sponsor please refer to them as GOAL's bill followed by the name of the bill, example - GOAL's "An Act Relative to Constitutional Rights" Thanks!
Click here to find your local state representative and senator.
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Mail Order Ammo Sales
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GOAL members have been frustrated for several years over the inability to purchase ammunition and components through the mail. The problem with such sales started when former Massachusetts Attorney General Tom Reilly conducted a "sting operation" against out of state retailers he said were violating the law.
After his undercover operation he threatened companies with prosecution and heavy fines if they did not agree to stop selling to Massachusetts residents. Some companies were so intimidated by this heavy handed approach that they stopped selling to FFL holders (licensed retailers). Sadly, the AG could have saved the state and the industry a lot of money and heartache if he had simply contacted the companies with his new interpretation of the law. I guess why make sense when you are trying to make headlines.
The law in question is Chapter 140, Section 122B.
Chapter 140, Section 122B: No person shall sell ammunition in the commonwealth unless duly licensed. The chief of police or the board or officer having control of the police in a city or town, or persons authorized by them, may, after an investigation into the criminal history of the applicant to determine eligibility to be licensed under this section, grant a license to any person...
Whoever not being licensed, as hereinbefore provided, sells ammunition within the commonwealth shall be punished by a fine of not less than five hundred nor more than one thousand dollars or by imprisonment for not less than six months nor more than two years.
Reilly decided that this law would require out of state ammunition sellers to acquire a license to sell ammunition in every city/town they wished to do business in. An absurd notion to say the least it was obviously just another move from that office to harass lawful gun owners.
While not a perfect solution to the problem GOAL has re-filed a bill that would help the situation if passed.
AN ACT RELATIVE TO THE LAWFUL SALE OF AMMUNITION
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 123 of Chapter 140 of the Massachusetts General Laws shall be amended by inserting the following language at the end of the section:
No company located outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts shall be required to be licensed under this section. Said companies shall be entitled to sell ammunition to persons properly licensed to possess ammunition under sections 129B or 131 of this chapter, through the internet, U.S. Mail or by any other means common to interstate commerce, provided that the seller must maintain on file a copy of the buyer's FID Card or License to Carry firearms. Said file must be maintained for a period of not less than three years after the completion of the sale. All deliveries of ammunition under this paragraph, whether in person or by common carrier, must require the signature of the licensed buyer.
Nothing in this section shall be deemed to prohibit companies outside of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from selling ammunition to persons licensed under sections 122 or 122B of this chapter. All deliveries of ammunition under this paragraph, whether in person or by common carrier, must require the signature of the licensee or their adult agent.
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Volunteers Needed!
| GOAL Needs Volunteer Help!
We have a number of recurring and upcoming volunteering opportunities!
We are seeking volunteer help in our 37 Pierce St. Northboro MA office on a recurring basis. If you have anytime to spare please give Tara a call at the GOAL office, 508-393-5333 x203
We also need help at upcoming gun shows! These are a great, fun way to help out, you will meet lots of fellow enthusiasts, and gain free admission into the show! See below for details:
GOAL will have a booth at the following gun shows, and we need your help to staff them! If you can volunteer for any of these shows, please contact Angela at the GOAL office, 508-393-5333 ext. 206, or angelafisher@goal.org. - February 24-27, The Springfield Sportsmen's & Boat Show at the Big E Fairgrounds
- March 12 & 13, The Big E Fairgrounds in W. Springfield
- March 26 & 27, The Royal Plaza Trade Center in Fitchburg.
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RIP Darius Arbabi
|  The GOAL Staff was saddened to learn of the passing last week of long time friend Darius Arbabi.
Darius served on the board of directors for Gun Owners' Action League (GOAL) and was a training counselor for the National Rifle Association. He co-authored and instructed many firearms-related safety and shooting sports programs for the GOAL Foundation. He was co-founder of Metrowest Tactical, a nationally recognized shooting sports chapter of the International Defensive Pistol Association. Over the past ten years he became a recognized authority on firearms law and civil rights issues. He will be missed greatly by all at the GOAL office.
Click here to share your thoughts on Darius
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| Mass Senate Announces Leadership Team | Just as deadline for filing legislation was looming in late January, the Massachusetts Senate President Therese Murray announced her leadership team for the upcoming 2010 - 2011 legislative session.
They are as follows:
Majority Leader - Senator Frederick Berry
Senate President Pro Tempore - Senator Stanley Rosenberg
Assistant Majority Leader - Senator Steven Tolman
Majority Whip - Senator Jack Hart
Assistant Majority Whip - Senator Harriette Chandler
Committee chair assignments were also announced.
In the list was a long term friend of gun owners and sportsmen Senator Stephen Brewer (A+ rated) was named chair of Senate Ways and Means. Senator Steven Baddour (A+ rated) will serve as vice chairman, and Senator Jennifer Flanagan (A+ rated) will be assistant vice chair of the committee.
We would like to congratulate all three on their recent appointments and thank them for their longtime support of our issues.
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Annual Raffle!
|  Each year, we ask all our members to participate in our Annual Raffle. We need to raise the funds to continue to promote our reform bill and continue to fight for the rights of Massachusetts gun owners. This Annual Raffle is our primary fund raising event for the year and is vitally necessary to our continued success. Tickets are $5.00 each, and you may purchase tickets online, at GOAL headquarters, or by calling the GOAL office at (508) 393-5333.
**Please note that due to postal regulations, we cannot send any part of a raffle ticket through the mail.**
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The GOAL Foundation 2011 Course Schedule
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New classes added at The GOAL Foundation!
Click here for our 2011 Schedule!
email or call Tara @ GOAL to sign up or for more information.
508-393-5333 x203
The new classes will fill quickly, don't delay!
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Hunting News
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Hunting Season is here! Check out goalhunters.org for all the information you need to get out there and good luck!
2010 GOAL Hunter Awards Program
GOAL is pleased to present the 2010 Hunter Awards Program! WIth four age divisions and four game divisions the awards are bigger and better than ever. We look forward to seeing your entries!
For more information on MA hunting check goalhunters.org lots of great new content added including a new video section!
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A note for Affiliated Clubs
| Sign your members up to get the Friday News Directly from GOAL!
If you have a club email blast, or a web forum please encourage your members to sign up for this weekly email, it's simple!
- Have them go to any page on our website www.goal.org
- Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click the "Friday News" image.
- This will open a new page with a box where they input their email address, click enter, and they are done!
This way they get the news and our action alerts as they are sent.
Please contact me if you have any questions (see contact info @ bottom)
Also, please note! Some of our clubs have let their affiliation lapse. Please check out our Affiliated Club Listing page to see if your club is listed. If your club is not listed, and you think it should be, please have your club president/manager/GOAL rep contact Tara at the GOAL Office 508-393-5333 x203 or tara@goal.org
Thanks! |
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Neshooters 2011 Summit!
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The Summit 2011 will focus on solutions for dealing with difficult situations. The Summit will last for two days and will allow the participants to meet with and learn from the training industry's leading experts.
Click here to view a full pdf schedule of events! |
AN IMPORTANT NOTE ABOUT FORWARDING THE FRIDAY NEWS!
Dear subscribers, it has come to our attention that some of you have become "unsubscribed" from our e-mailings as of late.
This is due to the method used when forwarding this e-mail. PLEASE NOTE, if you would like to forward this e-mail, use the "forward" option at the bottom of this page.
Forwarding this email as you would any other could cause you to become unsubscribed should any of the recipients choose to "opt out".
If you ever do need to subscribe, or if you know anybody that would like to receive this, it is now easier than ever to get on our list, simply go to http://goal.org/joinourlist.html to subscribe
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This email is made possible by the membership of GOAL and their generous donations. If you found this email helpful please Join/Support/Donate to GOAL!
Protecting YOUR freedom begins here!
Sincerely,
Mike Sweeney
GOAL Communications Manager
Gun Owners' Action League
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