By Bob Katzen

Approved by the House only: Prohibits a student from transporting or storing a firearm in a vehicle on the grounds of a school or college.

Under current law, the student can only be charged with a misdemeanor under the hunting section of state law for storing a loaded weapon in a motor vehicle. The proposal was first sparked by an incident in December 2016 in which a loaded rifle was found in the trunk of a student’s car in the parking lot at Masconomet Regional High School in Boxford. The student had a valid firearms identification card, which a person between ages 15 and 18 may apply for with their parents’ permission. Officials discovered the loophole that the student could only be charged with a misdemeanor and the seeds were planted for the filing of this proposal.