Amendment #25 to H4517

Protection Order Appeal

Mr. Jones of North Reading moves to amend the bill in section 12, in line 248, by adding the following section:- "Section 131V 1/2. (a) The respondent may submit 1 written request for a hearing to terminate an extreme risk protection order issued pursuant to section 131U during each 1-year period that the order is in effect, starting from the date of the order and continuing through any renewals of the order.

(b) Upon receipt of the request for a hearing to terminate an extreme risk protection order, the court shall set a date for a hearing. Written notice of the request shall be served on the petitioner, and written notice of the hearing shall be served on the petitioner and the respondent, by certified mail. The hearing shall occur no sooner than 14 days and no later than 30 days from the date of service of the request upon the petitioner.

(c) The respondent shall have the burden of proving by a preponderance of the evidence that the respondent does not pose a significant danger of causing personal injury to self or others by having in his or her possession a license to carry firearms or firearm identification card or by having in his control, ownership or possession a firearm, rifle, shotgun, machine gun, weapon or ammunition. The court may consider any relevant evidence, including evidence of the considerations listed in subsection (d) of section 131U.

(d) If the court finds after the hearing that the respondent has met his or her burden, the court shall terminate the order."