Contact: Joseph Mullin, New England States Coordinator
On August 28, the Massachusetts Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security held a hearing during which several sportsmen-related bills were available for public comment. One such bill was Senate Bill 1417 (SB 1417) – legislation that would ultimately authorize the use and possession of a firearm suppressor.
The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) stands in support of the use of firearms suppressors, which serve to be the hearing protection of the 21st Century sportsman and woman. While suppressors do not actually silence the sound expelled from a firearm, they are engineered to reduce the sound signature of a gunshot to hearing-safe levels, thus affording sportsmen and women with the ability to protect themselves from hearing damage/loss. CSF provided written testimony in support of SB 1417 and is working towards aligning Massachusetts with the other 42 states that permit civilian suppressor ownership.
CSF will continue to follow the progression of this issue and will continue to weigh in on this critical topic to ensure the voice of sportsmen and women is heard in the decision-making process.
Studies conducted at both the state and federal level have found that the number of hunters and trappers have been on a generally declining trend over the past several decades. To increase recruitment, retention, and reactivation (R3) of hunters and trappers, which initiative do you think would have the greatest impact?
