Romney signs off on permanent assault weapons ban
- July 08, 2004
Governor Mitt Romney has signed into law a permanent assault weapons ban that he says will make it harder for criminals to get their hands on these guns.
“Deadly assault weapons have no place in Massachusetts,” Romney said, at a bill signing ceremony on July 1 with legislators, sportsmen’s groups and gun safety advocates. “These guns are not made for recreation or self-defense. They are instruments of destruction with the sole purpose of hunting down and killing people.”
Like the federal assault weapons ban, the state ban, put in place in 1998, was scheduled to expire in September. The new law ensures these deadly weapons, including AK-47s, UZIs and Mac-10 rifles, are permanently prohibited in Massachusetts no matter what happens on the federal level.
“We are pleased to mark an important victory in the fight against crime,” said Lieutenant Governor Kerry Healey. “The most important job of state government is ensuring public safety. Governor Romney and I are determined to do whatever it takes to stop the flood of dangerous weapons into our cities and towns and to make Massachusetts safer for law-abiding citizens.”
Sheesh.
Interesting info from when Romney signed that law:
State moves on assault weapons ban
President Bush supported the Federal Assault Weapons ban at that time:
President Bush said he supports extending the ban...Ken Lisaius, a White House spokesman, said Bush still supports the ban, but is waiting for the House to act.
The law was seen by gun supporters as the best that could be done in MA:
Senator Richard T. Moore, an Uxbridge Democrat who received an A+ rating from the Gun Owners Action League, said the bill will help lawful gun owners.
''There weren't the votes to repeal it, certainly," Moore said. ''I felt the votes were there to continue the ban, and if we're going to continue it, we want to make sure it's one that doesn't seriously affect those who are willing to follow the law."
So Romney's position in MA was essentially the same as GWB's in Texas and Washington. I suppose you have been all over GWB for his RINOism.