Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey swiftly enacted new gun legislation on Wednesday, which encompasses restrictions on unserialized 'ghost guns' and firearm attachments like bump stocks and trigger cranks. The law also mandates that prospective gun owners demonstrate basic safety principles and undergo live-fire training before obtaining a license. While the law was approved in July and anticipated to take effect later this month, Healey opted for immediate implementation, preempting any potential suspension by gun rights advocates.
Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey immediately implemented new gun legislation on Wednesday that not only cracks down on unserialized ' ghost guns ,' and attachments like bump stocks and trigger cranks, but also requires applicants to demonstrate basic safety principles and complete live-fire training before being granted a gun license.
This gun safety law bans ghost guns, strengthens the Extreme Risk Protection Order statute to keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others, and invests in violence prevention programs,' Healey said in a statement. 'It is important that these measures go into effect without delay.
Gun rights advocates have also sought to suspend the law and place a referendum on a ballot in 2026, to give voters the chance to repeal the measure. In order to suspend the law from going into effect, gun rights advocates needed to collect at least 49,716 signatures from registered voters. The law was enacted, in part, as a response to the Supreme Court’s 2022 Bruen decision, which declared citizens have a right to carry firearms in public for self-defense.
District attorneys are also able to prosecute people who shoot at or near homes and ensure people subject to restraining orders no longer have access to guns. Additionally, the new law expands on the definition of 'assault weapons' to include known assault weapons and other weapons that function like them. It also bans the possession, transfer or sale of assault-style firearms or large-capacity feeding devices. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Gun Control Massachusetts Ghost Guns Red Flag Law Gun Safety
United States Latest News, United States Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Why Gov. Healey is taking action to immediately implement new gun lawGov. Maura Healey is taking executive action to put the wide-ranging gun control law she signed this past summer into effect immediately Wednesday, preempting the possible suspension of the law by a 2026 referendum effort.
Read more »
Gov. Healey rejects contract for controversial Cape machine gun rangeThe National Guard needed to spend $9.7 million from Congress on the machine gun range by Sept. 30, but with Healey's decision, Guard officials had to watch the money expire. The funding setback does not kill the Guard's range plan, but it does demonstrate a significance alliance in political will among Cape Cod officials and the office of Gov.
Read more »
Gov. Healey tucks clean energy permit reforms into spending billGov. Maura Healey filed a supplemental budget that would close the state's financial books on fiscal year 2024 while also overhauling how Massachusetts approves clean energy infrastructure projects.
Read more »
Martha Raddatz Presses Gov. Healey Over Kamala Harris' False Claim About US Troops in Combat ZonesABC News' Martha Raddatz confronted Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey about a false claim made by Vice President Kamala Harris during the first presidential debate, questioning why Harris would make such a statement.
Read more »
Martha Raddatz Presses Gov. Healey On Kamala Harris' False Claim About US Troops In Combat ZonesABC News journalist Martha Raddatz questioned Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey about Vice President Kamala Harris’ false claim during Tuesday’s presidential debate that there are no active-duty US military personnel in combat zones. Raddatz pressed Healey on why Harris would make such a statement, highlighting the presence of troops in Syria and Iraq.
Read more »
Massachusetts governor puts new gun law into effect immediatelyMassachusetts Gov. Maura Healey has taken action to immediately implement a sweeping new gun law in her state. The law cracks down on privately made, unserialized “ghost guns,” criminalizes possession of bump stocks and trigger cranks and requires applicants for a gun license complete live-fire training.
Read more »