Letter incorrect on gun licenses

Date: 1/30/2013

In the Jan. 17, 2013 issue of The Reminder, Sharon Levy of Longmeadow made the grossly incorrect statement that gun licenses, once issued, never have to be renewed as do car registrations. She also stated that there is no fee for a gun license. Both statements are blatantly false. Gun licenses, more properly firearms licenses, are renewable every 6 years. There is a renewal fee of $100 until age 70 when there is no longer a fee. All first time applicants must submit a state approved Basic Firearms Safety Course certificate or Hunter Safety Course certificate by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.

The application of renewal is quite comprehensive, requires the names and addresses of two references and is signed under the penalties of perjury. The applicant is interviewed by a firearms officer in the Police Department of the city or town of the applicant. A convicted felon, drug addict, a person with mental illness or a convicted youthful offender are not eligible to have a firearms license. An applicant is finger printed and his/her picture is taken and submitted to the Criminal History Systems Board of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, which conducts a thorough background review of the applicant. When you renew your automobile registration, do you have to meet these rigid requirements? I think not!

Before submitting another erroneous editorial on gun licenses, I suggest Ms. Levy discuss the matter with the proper firearms officer of the Longmeadow Police Department.

Albert P. Bushey

East Longmeadow