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Quick Links

Here you will find data and primary source
documents
on the history of gun control legislation in
Massachusetts
and what its effects have been on public safety
and
the rights of law-abiding citizens to own a
firearm.
Massachusetts Reports and Data on the Failure of Gun Control
Massachusetts Department of Public Health Statistical Data
Department of Public Health Statistic Web Site
Injury Surveillance Program
ISP Homicides prior to the passage
of the 1998 Gun Control Act
To view pre-1998 Homicide Graph Click Here
Homicides/1994.pdf
Homicides/1995.pdf
Homicides/1996.pdf
Homicides/1997.pdf
To view pre-1998 WRISS Graph Click Here
View WRISS Report Click Here
ISP Homicides after the passage of the 1998 Gun Control Act
To view ISP Fatality Results Graph Click Here
To view a specific year's report click on the links below:
Homicides/1998.pdf
Homicides/1999.pdf
Homicides/2000.pdf
Homicides/2001.pdf
Homicides/2002.pdf
Homicides/2003.pdf
Homicides/2004.pdf
Homicides/2005.pdf
Homicides/2006.pdf
ISP Hospital Discharges after the passage of the 1998 Gun
Control Act
To view ISP Hospital Discharge Results Graph Click Here
To view a specific year's report click on the links below:
Hospital discharges/1998.pdf
Hospital discharges/1999.pdf
Hospital discharges/2000.pdf
Hospital discharges/2001.pdf
Hospital discharges/2002.pdf
Hospital discharges/2003.pdf
Hospital discharges/2004.pdf
Hospital discharges/2005.pdf
Hospital discharges/2006.pdf
ISP Emergency Room Visits after the passage of the 1998 Gun
Control Act
To view ISP Emergency Room Results Graph Click Here
To view a specific year's report click on the links below:
Emergency Room/1999.pdf
Emergency Room/2000.pdf
Emergency Room/2001.pdf
Emergency Room/2002.pdf
Emergency Room/2003.pdf
Emergency Room/2004.pdf
Emergency Room/2005.pdf
Emergency Room/2006.pdf
ISP Outpatient Observation after the passage of the 1998 Gun
Control Act
To view ISP Outpatient Observation Results Graph Click Here
Observation/2001.pdf
Observation/2002.pdf
Observation/2003.pdf
Observation/2004.pdf
Observation/2005.pdf
Observation/2006.pdf
Weapon Related Injury Surveillance System after the passage of
the 1998 Gun Control Act
To view Post 1998 WRISS Results Graph Click Here
View WRISS Report Click Here
When viewing this report it is important to note that assault
injuries
were actually decreasing prior to the laws passed in 1998!
Documentation of Firearms Licensing Abuse & Corruption
Government Failure to Educate and Notify Citizens
2002 House Post Audit and Oversight Report
Fee Violation Investigation
GOAL Asks Governor Patrick to
Explain Where License Fees are
Going?
Four More Towns Found to Be Overcharging Applicants
Inspector General Responds to GOAL's Additional Requests
GOAL's Letter to the Inspector General
Licensing Delays
GOAL Asks Governor to Handle
License Renewal Delays/Governors Response!
GOAL's January 2008 Letter to
the Governor
Governor told of additional delays October 2007 Letter
GOAL Asks Governor to Act on Licensing Delays November
2007 Letter
GOAL's December 2007 Letter to the Governor Regarding
Licensing Agent
Licensing Violations
GOAL Requests Investigation
into License System
GOAL's Letter to Governor Concerning Illegal Application
Forms February 2008
GOAL Requests Governor to Cease Illegal Actions of
Bridgewater Licensing Officials
GOAL
Requests Massachusetts Attorney General to Intervene in
Illegal Licensing Activities
Local
Authorities Creating Gun Registry Databases
GOAL's Letter to Governor Concerning Illegal Firearms
Registry November 2007
Blaming Lawful Citizens for Crime
GOAL Files Freedom of Information Act Request after Governor Patrick Blames
Governor Refuses FOIA Request
Fraudulent Regulations
A
Calculated Deception Against the People of the Commonwealth
GOAL Investigates the Massachusetts
Attorney General's Regulations on Handguns
Reckless Policies
The Person Admittedly Responsible for Liquarry
Jefferson’s Death Virtually Set Free
GOAL Urges Members to
Contact Boston Police Commissioner and Ask Him Not to
Endanger Massachusetts Families
New Bedford City Councilor Seeks to Ban BB Guns Statewide
Worcester Chief
Threatens Future of Firearms Training
Will Massachusetts Gun Owners be Tracked Like Sex Offenders?
History of
Gun Licensing in Massachusetts
| These charts reflect a brief history of the License to Carry Firearms and the Firearms Identification Card. For instance, there are many amendments that were made to the LTC that will take some research to discover their effects. In the future, we hope to be able to provide a more detailed description of the changes made throughout the history of the Massachusetts licensing system. |
History of the License to Carry Firearms (LTC)
|
1906 |
The license was apparently created by
Chapter 172 of the Acts of 1906. |
|
1911 |
Chapter 548
(Unknown) |
|
1919 |
Chapter 207
(Unknown) |
|
1922 |
Chapter 485
(Unknown) |
|
1925 |
Chapter 284
(Unknown) |
|
1927 |
Chapter 326
(Unknown) |
|
1936 |
Chapter 302
(Unknown) |
|
1951 |
Chapter 201 of the Acts of 1951 added
language that seems to have given control of the
licensing to the local chief or local licensing
authority. |
|
1953 |
Chapter 319 of the Acts of 1953
deleted the reference to trial justices. |
|
1953 |
Chapter 454 of the
Acts of 1953 (Unknown) |
|
1957 |
Chapter 688 of the Acts of 1957
rewrote the section covering the LTC. |
|
1959 |
Chapter 296 of the Acts of 1959
inserted the words "possession" and "narcotic or
harmful" in the first sentence. |
|
1960 |
Chapter 293 of the
Acts of 1960 (Unknown) |
|
1969 |
Chapter 799 of the Acts of 1969
rewrote the language to prohibit minors from being
able to acquire a machine gun license. |
|
1972 |
Chapter 415 of the Acts of 1972
changed the term of a license and increased the fees
from $2 to $10. |
|
1973 |
Chapter 138 of the Acts of 1973
increased penalties for illegally issuing a license. |
|
1973 |
Chapter 892 of the Acts of 1973 added
language that required licensed persons to give
notification of a change of address. |
|
1974 |
Chapter 312 of the Acts of 1974
changed language to provide for a five year machine
gun license. |
|
1974 |
Chapter 649 of the Acts of 1974 added
language to provide a 90 day grace period after the
expiration of the license. |
|
1975 |
Chapter 4 of the Acts of 1975 delayed
the effective date of Chapter 649 of the Acts of
1974 until April 1, 1975. |
|
1975 |
Chapter 113 of the Acts of 1975 added
language concerning notification of license
expiration. |
|
1984 |
Chapter 420 of the Acts of 1984
inserted in the first sentence "whose license to
carry firearms may only be issued under the
provisions of section one hundred and thirty-one F"
following the words "except an alien". |
|
1986 |
Chapter 481 of the Acts of 1986
rewrote the entire section covering the LTC. This
Act extended background checks and notification of
address changes, etc. |
|
1987 |
Chapter 465 of the Acts of 1987 made
a minor change by inserting the word "than". |
|
1994 |
Chapter 24 of the
Acts of 1994 added language concerning individuals
subject to a 209A (restraining order). |
|
1996 |
Chapter 151 of the Acts of 1996 made
changes to the law where it refer to the
"commissioner of public safety", "colonel of the
state police" or "executive director of the criminal
history systems board". |
|
1996 |
Chapter 200 of the Acts of 1996 added
"youthful offender language". |
|
1998 |
Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998
completely rewrote the section covering the LTC. |
|
1998 |
Chapter 358 of the Acts of 1998 made
changes to paragraphs (d), (j), (m), (o) |
History of the FID Card
|
1968
|
This was the year that the FID
card law was created by Chapter 737 of the Acts of
1968. It took effect on January 1, 1969.
|
|
1969
|
Chapter 799 of the Acts of
1969 rewrote the FID section to make many
clarifications.
|
|
1971
|
Chapter 225 of the Acts of
1971 rewrote part of the law to allow the licensing
authority to conduct a mental health background
check only when the authority doubted the
applicant's response to the question of past
hospitalization or mental illness.
|
|
1972
|
Chapter 312 of the Acts of
1972 deleted the words "a state prison or
penitentiary" from the first paragraph and inserted
the word "confinement". It also added "or is (f) an
alien" to the language. It made FID Cards valid
until revoked or suspended and added the requirement
of a Card holder to give notification of change of
address.
|
|
1976
|
Chapter 239 of the Acts of
1976 added the provision for residents of federal
installations to be issued an FID.
|
|
1989
|
Chapter 339 of the Acts of
1989 substituted in the fourth sentence of the fifth
paragraph, the word "thirty" for the word "ten"
|
|
1994
|
Chapter 24 of the Acts of 1994 added clause (g) in
the first paragraph which created a disqualifier for
anyone that was subject to a "209A" (restraining
order). It also added similar language to the
second paragraph under "setting other conditions."
|
|
1996
|
Chapter 151 & 200
of the Acts of 1996 changed the language to remove
the word "commissioner" where relevant and insert
the words "executive director of the criminal
history systems board". The second bill inserted
clause (h). |
|
1998 |
Chapter 180 of the Acts of 1998
completely rewrote the section covering FID Cards. |
|
1998 |
Chapter 358 of the Acts of 1998
rewrote paragraph (3) covering application period. |
|
2000 |
Chapter 159 of the Acts of 2000
deleted in paragraph (9) the expiration language. |
|
2000 |
Chapter 236 of the Acts of 2000
corrected the expiration language. |
|