Section 1.
There shall be established a commission to study the firearms licensing process in Massachusetts. The commission shall (i) examine the current system of licensure as appearing statewide and in each individual municipality, (ii) compare said licensure processes to the different licensing standards and processes from other States, (iii) identify discrepancies that exist in licensing processes between the various municipalities and between Massachusetts and the various states, (iv) examine the application, approval, and denial rates and the demographics thereof, for applicants in the various municipalities (v) provide recommendations to modernize and improve upon or otherwise change the licensure process with particular focus on equity in the licensure process (1) across all demographics (2) from town to town (3) from Massachusetts to other US States.
Section 2.
The commission shall hold no fewer than four regional public hearings to gather input from citizens who are or attempting to utilize the current firearm licensing system.
Section 3.
The commission shall consist of the following members: The executive director of gun owners’ action league or their designee who shall serve as the chair of the commission, the secretary of the executive office of public safety and security or their designee, a chief of police chosen by the Massachusetts chiefs of police association together with the major city police chiefs association, the colonel of the state police or their designee, the director of the department of mental health or their designee.
Section 4.
Within twelve months of the passage of this act, the commission shall file a report of its finding and recommendations to (i) the Secretary of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, (ii) the Clerks of the Senate and the House of Representatives, and (iii) the House and Senate Chairs of the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Security, who shall within ninety days of the submission of the report hold a joint public hearing on the commission’s recommendations.
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