MA: “Global Positioning System Locators in Firearms Study Commission is hereby established for the purpose of making an investigation and study relative to the feasibility of placing Global Positioning System (“GPS”) locators in firearms”

And there you were, thinking that micro-stamping was the be-all, end-all of the government’s attempts to keep track of personal firearms. Nope. It’s micro-tracking. The latest affront to gun rights and privacy is on the table, again, courtesy of the Big Brothers in the Bay State. State Senator Andrew Petruccelli has re-introduced a bill calling for a commission to study GPS tracking for firearms. I’ve belled the Senator’s office. No joy. He might call back. He might not. The text of the bill reads as follows . . .

The Global Positioning System Locators in Firearms Study Commission shall consist of 7 members; the House of Representatives Chair on Public Safety and Homeland Security, the Senate Chair on Public Safety and Homeland Security, one member of the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, appointed by the Secretary of the Executive Office and Public Safety and Security, one designee from the Gun Owners’ Action League (“GOAL”), one Chief of Police from a city or town, appointed by the Governor, one designee from the City of Boston Mayor’s Office, appointed by the Mayor of Boston, one designee appointed by the Boston City Council.

The commission shall report to the general court the results of its investigation and study, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry such recommendations into effect by filing the same with the clerk of the senate before the bill filing deadline for the 2013-2014 general court session.

I called the aforementioned Gun Owners’ Action League and spoke to Executive Director Jim Wallace about their participation on the commission. “That’s news to me,” Wallace told TTAG. “Petruccelli never talked to us about it.” So what of the idea itself? “It’s ridiculous. Why does the government need to know where I am or a piece of my property?”

I guess that means he won’t be participating? “That’s up to our Executive Board,” Wallace said. “But I don’t want to go on that commission. . . It’s just another example of Massachusetts out of control gun laws. Twelve years ago we had 1.5 million guns owners. Today that’s down to about 230 thousand. Gun crime has risen 200 percent.”