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Governor Romney Announces New Budget As the month of February came to a close the long awaited Governor's budget proposal was released to the public. Other than catching the public's attention by being the first budget in recent history to NOT be released in a printed version, causing everyone in the state to access it on the web, this budget made history by certainly being the first that was not understandable anyone we talked to. Throughout the budget there were long lists of line items and agencies that were lumped together with no explanation of what the purposes or intentions are. For instance,
the Executive Office of Environmental affairs has been eliminated and replaced by the Executive Office For Commonwealth
Development. Beneath this new agency is a new Department of Environment. Within this new department is created a
new division called Division of Fisheries, Wildlife and Environmental Enforcement
Administration. This division is going to be created by merging Division of Fisheries and
Wildlife Administration, Waterfowl Management Program, Division of Marine Fisheries,
Marine Recreational Fisheries Development and the Division of Environmental Law
Enforcement Administration. In doing this the Governor has also done
away with many dedicated funds including the Natural Heritage and Endangered
Species Fund, This move creates many questions such as: · What does an environmental agency have to
do with development in the Commonwealth? · Who is going to run these new agencies? · Are we going to have new commissioners or
are they out of the picture? · What happens to all of the Directors of
these agencies? · Why is a state that is in fiscal trouble
giving up federal sportsmen dollars totaling in the millions? · What happens to the seven-person board? · What happens to the sporting programs such
as pheasant stocking? If this were not bad enough, the Governor
also included the following "outside sections" to the budget that if passed
would raise our firearms license fees. Fee Increases for Dealers
Licenses SECTION 160. Section 122 of chapter 140 of the General Laws, as appearing in the 2000 Official Edition, is hereby amended by striking the seventh sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:- The fee for an application for a license issued under this section shall be set at $75, which fee shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $12.50 of such fee; $37.50 of such fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth, and $25 shall pay the fees for an interstate fingerprint check. Ammunition Licenses Fees SECTION 161. Section 122B of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the fifth sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:- The fee for an application for a license to sell ammunition shall be set at $75, which fee shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $12.50 of such fee; $37.50 of such fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth, and $25 shall pay the fees for an interstate fingerprint check. Firearms Identification
Card Fees SECTION 162. Clause (9) of section 129B of said chapter 140 of the General Laws, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the fourth and fifth sentences and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:- The fee for such application shall be $75, which fee shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $12.50 of such fee; $37.50 of such fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth, and $25 shall pay the fees for an interstate fingerprint check; provided, however, that any renewal applicant for a firearm identification card issued for the sole purpose of purchasing or possessing chemical mace, pepper spray or other similarly propelled liquid, gas or powder designed to temporarily incapacitate shall not be subject to such application fee. License to Carry Firearms
Fees SECTION 163. Subsection (i) of section 131 of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the fourth sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:- The fee for such application shall be $75, which fee shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $12.50 of such fee; $37.50 of such fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth, and $25 shall pay the fees for an interstate fingerprint check. Permits to Purchase
Firearms Fees SECTION 164.
Section 131A of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the
second paragraph and inserting in place thereof the following paragraph:- Non-Residents and
Non-Resident Aliens Firearms Fees SECTION 165. Section 131F of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended in the fourth paragraph by striking the third sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:- The fee for an application for such license shall be $75, which fee shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain $12.50 of such fee; $37.50 of such fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the commonwealth, and $25 shall pay the fees for an interstate fingerprint check. Resident Aliens Firearms
Fees SECTION 166.
Section 131H of said chapter 140, as so appearing, is hereby amended by striking the third
sentence and inserting in place thereof the following sentences:- The fee for such permit
shall be set at $75, which fee shall be payable to the licensing authority and shall not
prorated or refunded in case of revocation or denial. The licensing authority shall retain
$12.50 of such fee; $37.50 of such fee shall be deposited into the general fund of the
commonwealth, and $25 shall pay the fees for an interstate fingerprint check. As our members would expect, GOAL is working hard to bring a sound resolution to these problems. We also would ask that concerned individuals standby for further information from GOAL as to how to respond to this new crisis.
Note from Four Seasons: The GOAL site is an excellent source of information. Vist www.goal.org for the latest updates....even better; JOIN!
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