Bill to bring sweeping gun safety reforms to Massachusetts stalled on Beacon Hill
BOSTON - Lawmakers headed home for the week Thursday without making moves on several key pieces of legislation, including a wide-ranging gun control bill.
If passed, it would bring sweeping reforms to gun safety in Massachusetts, including new tracking monitoring systems, a ban on carrying firearms in many public places and licensing changes. The bill is a top priority for House Speaker Ron Mariano (D-Quincy).
For now, it's not going anywhere. An internal dispute between House and Senate leaders on which committee should hold a public hearing on the bill is what's slowing things down. House lawmakers want the legislation vetted by the judiciary committee, while the Senate wants the public safety committee to take the lead.
There's other unfinished business on Beacon Hill. Six months into the current legislative session, lawmakers have yet to approve this fiscal year's budget and a tax relief proposal promised last session is stuck behind closed-door negotiations. The House is expected to meet on both issues Monday.