Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-MA) introduced on Wednesday legislation that would incentivize states to adopt gun licensing standards similar to those in Massachusetts, which has the lowest gun death rate in the nation.
Markey’s legislation, the Making America Safe and Secure (MASS) Act, would authorize the Department of Justice to award grants totaling $20 million in each of the next five fiscal years to states that implement and maintain comprehensive licensing standards for gun owners and dealers.
Massachusetts gun laws include firearms licensing requirements that give local chiefs of police, or an authorized designee, the power to decide whether to approve the issuance of a firearms license through a process that can include an in-person interview. Police chiefs can also revoke or suspend a license. Since 1994, Massachusetts has reduced gun deaths by 40 percent.
“Massachusetts gun licensing laws should serve as a model for the nation,” Markey said. “And the involvement of police chiefs in the licensing process is key. They have the direct responsibility and vested interest in making sure that those who should not be allowed to own a gun do not get their hands on dangerous weapons. A license in Massachusetts is only given with the Police Chief Seal of Approval.”