Bill
S 1779
The bill clarifies that private campus police officers under Chapter 6E are exempt to possess assault weapons or large-capacity devices under Section 131M.
Status snapshot
- Bill number: S.1779 (Senate Docket No. 2557)
- Filed: 01/17/2025 (docket); introduced in Senate (according to version text) by Sen. Bruce E. Tarr
- Recent procedural notes in provided materials: read/referred (05/15/2025), multiple committee referrals listed (Public Safety & Homeland Security; Environment & Public Works; Social Services), and a hearing scheduled for 09/10/2025 (1:00–5:00 PM, room A‑2).
- Important: the provided metadata contains conflicting and apparently merged records (see “Conflicting/ambiguous items” below). Verify status/sponsor data on the official Massachusetts Legislature website before taking action.
Purpose and intent
- The bill seeks to amend Massachusetts firearms law to clarify that certain private campus law enforcement officers are included in a statutory exemption permitting possession of assault weapons or large‑capacity feeding devices. In short, it would explicitly allow private campus officers (as defined by Chapter 6E) to possess weapons/devices that are otherwise restricted under the referenced statute.
Key provision (text excerpted and paraphrased)
- Amends Section 131M of Chapter 140 of the Massachusetts General Laws (as previously amended by Chapter 135, §71 of the Acts of 2024) by inserting, in subsection (e)(i) after the phrase “as amended,” the additional language: “, or a law enforcement officer as defined in section 1 of Chapter 6E.”
- Effect: the statutory exemption described in subsection (e)(i) would explicitly cover “law enforcement officer” defined under Chapter 6E — which governs private campus police officers — allowing them to possess assault weapons or large‑capacity feeding devices under the terms of Section 131M.
Who would be affected
- Primary: private campus law enforcement officers employed by private colleges/universities that operate under Chapter 6E definitions/authority.
- Secondary: private higher‑education institutions (policy, training, procurement), campus communities (students, faculty, staff), local municipal police (interagency coordination), and public‑safety stakeholders concerned with campus security and firearms regulation.
Potential impacts and issues to consider
- Expands (or clarifies) the ability of private campus police to possess weapons/devices otherwise restricted, which may change campus security posture, training and armament policies.
- Raises oversight and accountability questions: training standards, reporting, use‑of‑force policies, interagency coordination with municipal/state law enforcement, and communications to campus communities.
- Could prompt administrative actions by colleges (equipment purchase, storage, insurance) and by state regulators (licensing/definitions under Chapter 6E).
Procedural / timeline notes
- Filed in January 2025 (docketed); introduced and read in Senate per the materials supplied. Hearing scheduled for 09/10/2025. Multiple committee referrals are listed in the supplied record — confirm the current committee of jurisdiction and hearing outcome via the official legislative docket.
Conflicting / ambiguous items in the supplied materials
- The packet includes inconsistent metadata: a short title (“Lifting Overburdensome Commerce Obstructions and Motives Act — LOCOMOTIVES Act”), an unrelated bill title about EBT card replacement, and a long list of federal U.S. Senate sponsors (e.g., Joni Ernst, Jerry Moran) incompatible with a Massachusetts state bill. These appear to be erroneous or merged entries. The substantive bill text and docket number correspond to a Massachusetts state bill about private campus law enforcement; rely on the bill text and the Massachusetts docket for content.
Recommendation
- Verify the bill text, current status, committee assignment, and sponsor list on the Massachusetts Legislature’s official website (Senate Docket No. 2557 / Bill S.1779) before using or citing this summary.
Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.
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