I renewed my Massachusetts permit last year and even with a 3 month head start, my permit still expired. (Thankfully a permit remains “Valid” for 90 days if there is a renewal in the system, so no laws were broken). Looks like GOAL is spearheading the fight!
A National Rifle Association affiliate says Massachusetts is “abusing” law-abiding citizens by delaying the issuance of firearm licenses beyond the time frame outlined by state law.
The Gun Owners Action League (GOAL), which represents 16,000 members in Massachusetts and is the official state affiliate of the NRA, reports that many people applying for licenses have been experiencing long delays.
GOAL Executive Director Jim Wallace said the average time for obtaining a license is currently six months. That leaves many Massachusetts residents waiting much longer than the state law requires.
According to state law, an applicant will be notified within 40 days of either approval or denial of the license.
Chapter 140, Section 131 of Massachusetts’ General Law states, “The licensing authority shall, within 40 days from the date of application, either approve the application and issue the license or deny the application and notify the applicant of the reason for such denial in writing; provided, however, that no such license shall be issued unless the colonel has certified, in writing, that the information available to him does not indicate that the possession of a firearm or large capacity firearm by the applicant would be in violation of state or federal law.”
Wallace said GOAL now has close to 1,000 reports of long delays by residents.
Now a permit in Massachusetts is not only for carry but to OWN firearms, ammunition, and chemical sprays. This is NOTHING shy of a taxation of an enumerated right. Further the law stipulates that the maximum waiting time is 40 days. This is being exceeded by nearly 600%! But what are you going to do? Call the cops on the cops?
Hopefully this will go to the courts because the Massachusetts permit system needs to go!
Texas may not have Open Carry but we don’t need a permit to purchase, our Concealed Handgun License gets us out of NICS checks at retail stores and our state processes the licenses fairly quickly.
Mine was turned around in 30 days or so — and they are really busy with new licenses.
I’ll keep you posted on how long it takes me to get my VA toter’s permit. Some counties take the full 45 days as allowed by law, but others are faster.
BTW, Captcha code: ZED2. I kid you not…