HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3882        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3897

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Mindy Domb

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act relative to assault weapons.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3882        FILED ON: 1/20/2023

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 3897

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Third General Court
(2023-2024)

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An Act relative to assault weapons.

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 121 of chapter 140 of the General laws, as appearing in the 2020 Official Edition, is hereby amended by amended by striking out “131Y” in line 1, and inserting in place thereof the following word:- 131Z.

SECTION 2. Said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby further amended by inserting, after section 131Y, the following section:-

Section 131Z. (a) The department of state police shall establish a voluntary assault weapon buyback program. Any person in possession of an assault weapon or large capacity feeding device may convey the assault weapon or large capacity feeding device to the department. The department, upon receipt of a weapon or device covered by the program, shall determine its fair market compensation and provide the compensation to the individual who conveyed the weapon or device.

(b) Neither the department of state police nor any other law enforcement agency shall collect any personal information from a person that participates in the program by conveying or inquiring about conveying a weapon or device.

(c) A person who participates in the program established in this section shall not be prosecuted or subjected to a penalty for possession of a weapon that the person conveyed to the department of state police under the terms of this program.

(d) The department of state police shall promulgate regulations necessary to implement this section.

(e) Annually, not later than June 1, the department of state police shall submit a report on the activity of the program to the joint committee on public safety and homeland security and the clerks of the house of representatives and the senate. The report shall include: (i) the dates of the program’s activities; (ii) the number of individuals who participated in the program; (iii) the number of weapons and devices collected under the program; (iii) the amount of money expended by the department of state police under the program; and (iv) a list of the fair market values or formulas for assessing fair market value used for each type of weapon and device obtained under the program.

SECTION 3. This act shall take effect 180 days following its passage.