Longmeadow’s Anti-Gun Proposals Could Come to Your Town!

On Tuesday, May 10 from 7:00 p.m.-11:00 p.m., three anti-gun articles will be up for a possible vote at the Longmeadow Annual Town Meeting.

These proposed articles will create unreasonable restrictions on law-abiding gun owners in the neighboring town of Longmeadow.  Please attend the town meeting to support residents in Longmeadow and to prevent the proposed articles below from coming to your town!

ARTICLE 29.

Anyone possessing a firearm, rifle, or shotgun in any building owned by the town, or on recreation area, conservation area, or other grounds owned by the town, would pay a fine of $300.  This proposed bylaw would prohibit anyone from possessing a firearm (defined under state law as a pistol, revolver, or similar weapon), rifle, or shotgun in a town building or on town property.

ARTICLE 30.

This article would require a person applying for, or seeking to renew, a license to carry a firearm or a firearm identification card with the Chief of Police or Police Department to describe in writing each firearm, rifle or shotgun possessed by the prospective license holder.  Such description would include the serial number, make, model, and caliber of each firearm, rifle, or shotgun.  Whoever fails to provide a description for each firearm, rifle, or shotgun shall pay a fine of $300 for each firearm, rifle, or shotgun which has not been so described.  The bylaw would also require applicants to certify their compliance with the Massachusetts law that requires firearms, rifles, and shotguns to be stored in locked containers or to be similarly secured.

ARTICLE 31.

This article would ban assault weapons in the town of Longmeadow.  Anyone possessing an assault weapon or a large capacity feeding device would pay a fine of $300 for each day such an assault weapon or large capacity feeding device is possessed.  The possessor of an assault weapon or a large capacity feeding device shall pay a separate fine for each assault weapon and each large capacity feeding device.

Massachusetts state law prohibits the possession of assault weapons and large capacity feeding devices (defined as devices capable of holding certain amounts of ammunition) but provides an exception for assault weapons and large capacity feeding devices lawfully possessed on September 13, 1994.  This bylaw would eliminate this exception and prohibit all assault weapons and large capacity feeding devices in Longmeadow.  The effective date of September 1, 2016 would force owners of assault weapons and large capacity feeding devices to remove them from the town of Longmeadow.

Remember, your town could be next.  Once again, please attend the meeting on May 10 to fight these draconian proposals from happening in your neighboring town!