Top Massachusetts Democrats still examining gun law options

Matt Murphy

Senate President Karen Spilka on Monday did not rule out the Legislature attempting to revise the state’s gun permit laws over the next two weeks to respond to the Supreme Court’s ruling limiting the ability of states to restrict someone’s ability to carry a firearm in public.

Spilka, who helped brief reporters about an emerging economic development and tax reform bill, said gun safety is something the Legislature has not taken off the table as the formal legislative session winds down. “We’re looking at it, definitely,” she said.

The Supreme Court last month struck down a New York law that put restrictions on someone’s ability to obtain a permit to carry a gun in public for self-defense. The ruling has had impacts in a handful of other states, including Massachusetts.

Attorney General Maura Healey has advised local police chiefs that the state law allowing concealed carry permit applications to be denied if someone cannot demonstrate “good reason” for carrying their weapon outside the home can no longer be enforced in light of the ruling.

The Globe reported Sunday that the result has been some cities like Boston taking steps to lift restrictions on existing permits.

Spilka did not say precisely what changes lawmakers were considering, but she said leaders in both branches were mindful of the calendar, with formal sessions for the year due to end on July 31. “We are currently looking at that and that’s something that actually has been raised to take a look in working with the AG to make sure whatever language we take up is what’s needed to specifically address the Supreme Court decision and to make it tight, to make it clear so that if we’re going to do something to get it to the governor’s desk quickly and in time before the sessions is over,” Spilka said.