NASHVILLE, Tenn. — Tennessee has joined a coalition of 25 states asking the U.S. Supreme Court to strike down Massachusetts’ firearm licensing requirements for nonresidents. At the center of the dispute is whether one state can effectively block lawful gun owners from exercising their Second Amendment rights once they cross state lines.
The Massachusetts Rule at Issue
Earlier this year, Massachusetts’ highest court ruled that its firearm restrictions apply to out-of-state visitors. The case involved New Hampshire residents who were charged with unlawfully carrying firearms in Massachusetts, even though the guns were purchased legally in their home state.
The court declared that “the Second Amendment right to bear arms is not absolute” and upheld the state’s licensing process for all persons within its borders.
The system requires nonresidents to apply for a Massachusetts license — a process critics say is “burdensome,” with waits up to 170 days and high fees. Visitors can face felony charges if they cross the border armed without the paperwork, even in areas where the line between states is blurry. The multistate filing cites the Pheasant Lane Mall, which straddles the New Hampshire-Massachusetts border, as an example. A lawful carrier on one side of the mall could become a felon by walking into a restaurant on the other side.
Free States Push Back
New Hampshire Attorney General John Formella, who is leading the coalition, argued: “The Second Amendment does not end at the Massachusetts border.” He added that Massachusetts’ approach “treats nonresidents as second-class citizens, imposes arbitrary and excessive restrictions, and contradicts both historical tradition and Supreme Court precedent.”
Tennessee Attorney General Jonathan Skrmetti echoed that concern in joining the fight Friday. The states’ brief argues that constitutional rights “cannot be subject to differing standards based solely on geography” and that Massachusetts’ rules give officials “broad discretion” to deny permits, chilling the right to carry for visitors.
The push comes after Massachusetts prosecutors revived charges against a New Hampshire man who admitted to police he was carrying a legally owned firearm but lacked a Massachusetts license. While a trial court initially dismissed the case, the Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court reinstated the charges.
Massachusetts Defends Its Law
Massachusetts Attorney General Andrea Campbell said her office is prepared to defend the state’s approach if the U.S. Supreme Court agrees to hear the case.
“Massachusetts has some of the strongest gun safety laws in the country that are enforced consistent with public safety and the Second Amendment,” Campbell said. “My office will continue to defend them against any challenge in order to keep our communities and our Commonwealth safe.”
What Happens Next
The U.S. Supreme Court will decide whether to take up the case, which pits two sharply different views of the Second Amendment against one another. For the 25-state coalition, the issue is whether lawful gun owners are forced to give up their rights the moment they cross into Massachusetts. For Massachusetts, it is about maintaining what the state views as strong safeguards in line with its own public safety priorities.
If the highest Court agrees to hear the case, the outcome could reshape how states treat nonresident gun owners nationwide.
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And to think, Massachusetts residents once stood up to resist gun control efforts at Lexington Green and Concord.
How far the Bay State has fallen
arrest the actual criminals violating constitution and their oaths to it all members of the masshole court
Come on Congress! Stop with the reciprocity bull shit and pass constitutional carry without exception for all states and it’s mandatory.
Oregon does not honor concealed carry permits from any other states. However, it does have reciprocity agreements with several states for open carry. Here are some states that honor Oregon’s concealed carry permits:
We need to fix this fast before we get another Demoncrap president and congress if that ever happens again.
Make OreGONEistan OreGUN again.
To think shall not infringe is not absolute, tar and feather theme masshole judges.
We are only 11.5 States away from Constitutional Carry becoming the Law of the Land.
Just keep pushing we will get there!
Look back at how far we have come the past 25-30 years!
“the Second Amendment right to bear arms is not absolute”
It is absolutely Absolute. Maybe we need to write it twice in the Bill of Rights. Do you think that would help? Do you think that would help?
HLB
I propose a new Amendment to the Constitution requiring that everyone up for appointment or election to the bench must have at least a 3-digit I.Q.
In the 1980s, while assigned to Hanscom AFB in MA, I commuted to work from NH. It was easy to get a CWP in NH and the fee was only $5. MA was a different story. The fee was higher and you needed the blessing of your CLEO. Fortunately, the state accepted the signature of the Security Police Squadron commander, so I managed to get one there as well. Vermont wasn’t an issue since no permit was required. I imagine I was one of the few people at the time to have dual licenses. You’d think each state would at… Read more »
gun “safety” laws???
Do words no longer have traditionally accepted meanings?
Just another chance for the People’s Republic to flip the bird to the SCOTUS and crush the Rights of citizens. And they’re soooo proud of it.
Scum!
Chuck Schumer started this schtick, a few years ago, paying lip service to the 2A by claiming to support it. Licensing requirements meanwhile in certain states (you know which) are getting increasingly onerous.