Additional Coverage:
- Massachusetts governor puts new gun law into effect immediately (newsbreak.com)
Massachusetts Enacts Sweeping Gun Law
Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey has enacted a new gun law that goes into effect immediately. The law bans unserialized "ghost guns," criminalizes possession of bump stocks and trigger cranks, and requires live-fire training for gun license applicants.
Red Flag Law Expansion
The law also expands the state’s "red flag" law, allowing police, healthcare professionals, and school officials to alert the courts if they believe someone with access to guns poses a danger and should have their firearms removed.
Gun Rights Opposition
Gun rights advocates have criticized the law as an infringement on their rights and have filed a lawsuit challenging its constitutionality. They have also attempted to gather signatures to suspend the law before it took effect, but Healey’s actions have blocked this effort.
Response to Supreme Court Ruling
The law was passed in response to the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision, which affirmed citizens’ right to carry firearms for self-defense. However, the law includes restrictions such as prohibiting guns in certain locations and requiring licensing for carrying firearms.
Additional Provisions
The law also expands the definition of "assault weapons" and bans the possession, transfer, or sale of certain assault-style firearms and large-capacity feeding devices. It also allows prosecutors to charge people who shoot at or near homes and ensures that individuals subject to restraining orders no longer have access to guns.
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- Massachusetts governor puts new gun law into effect immediately (newsbreak.com)