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MASSACHUSETTS' NEW GUN CONTROL LAW HAS STRONG BACKNG By Kevin Kneuer Some college professors and students said Massachusetts' new tougher gun control law is a step in the right direction. In early April, Massachusetts put the nation's toughest gun law into effect, using consumer-protection rules to ban cheap Saturday night specials and require childproof locks on any gun sold in the state. John Hammond, a political science professor at James Madison University (JMU), said that Massachusetts' tough laws can springboard other states to follow. "I think they (Massachusetts) may get the ball rolling, so to speak, as far as getting other states to impose similar laws," Hammond said. According to Hammond, the response and effectiveness of the law will also weigh heavy on how much impact it has on other states. "If it is received well by the people living there (Massachusetts), if it provides a positive light on politicians in the state, then other lawmakers may follow suit," Hammond said. Currently, 34 other states have already passed legislation that would allow them to regulate handguns like other consumer products. Massachusetts, however, is the first to actually impose such regulations. The state will notify gun manufacturers and retailers within the next 10 days to inform them of the new regulations. The regulations also require safety warnings with each gun, tamper-resistant serial numbers and indicators on semiautomatic handguns that tell whether a bullet is in the chamber or not. Daniel Byrd, a criminology professor at J.M.U. does not believe the regulations will have an immediate and massive effect on violence in the home and on the streets. However, Byrd does think the law has potential to help curve such problems in the future. "Making it tougher for guns to get into the home, making it tougher for guns to get into the wrong people's hands, that is the first step in decreasing gun-related crimes," Byrd said. Some college students agree that the new law is exactly what the U.S. needs to see more of in order to ensure a decrease in gun-related crimes. Chris Leahy, a senior at Marist College, Poughkeepsie N.Y., said he has been expecting stricter laws to be put into place for some time now. "I think it's great that we are finally passing laws that make it harder to obtain guns, and make it safer for those who purchase them," Leahy said. "I just thought it would happen sooner because of all those incidents with school shootings." Michael Costantino, a junior at Vassar College, said he hopes to see similar laws passed in N.Y. "Massachusetts is the first state to really take a stand for gun-control. I hope N.Y. will follow," Costantino said. "I have lived in here (N.Y.) all my life and I want to keep it that way, it would be nice to feel like you can sleep feeling a little safer at night."