Begin forwarded message:

From: "Dan Lynn Watt" <dwatt40@comcast.net> Date: April 11, 2018 at 2:33:39 PM EDT To: "CCH-Talk" Cc: "marjorie Decker" <marjorie.decker@gmail.com> Subject: Gun Sense legislation now pending in Massachusetts

Dear neighbors, I am writing to remind you -- or make you aware of -- pending "gun sense" legislation proposed by our Cambridge state rep, our neighbor, Marjorie Decker. Decker has proposed House Bill 3610 which would allow something called an "Extreme Risk Protection Order" (ERPO). I am confident that supporters of the second amendment can and should get behind this bill.

This Bill provides for a family or community member to notify authorities about a family or community member who has a gun or guns and who they think may be a danger to themselves or others. Then a judge will investigate and if he/she deems the danger to exist can issue an ERPO and police can remove all guns and other weapons from the person's possession. Remember that in Parkland, both family members and friends worried that the shooter was dangerous. If ERPO had been in effect maybe Parkland might not have happened. Who knows, maybe the marathon bombing might not have happened.

Massachusetts already has some of the best gun sense laws in the country. And this would add one additional tool to make our communities safer. 30 other states have or are considering ERPO laws. BUT Marjorie's bill which is the only gun sense measure being considered this year in Massachusetts, is stalled in committee and must be reported out of committee by April 15 if is going to be taken up this year. YOU KNOW THE GUN LOBBY IS STILL STRONG IN MASSACHUSETTS and they have worked to keep this bill bottled up. If it gets to the floor it may very likely pass. More than 40 police chiefs in the state support it, Decker says. Gun owners and non-gun owners can and do support this.

So here is what Rep. Marjorie Decker asked of us at a town hall meeting in Cambridge last week. Call or write your state rep, and Governor Baker. Baker has declared himself "neutral" on this bill. If he let it be known that he would sign it it is much more likely to be referred out of committee for a vote.

So this is one very small step to strengthen our gun safety net. Please take one step yourselves immediately.

Dan