Massachusetts gun rights supporters declared on Tuesday that they have successfully collected enough signatures to place a measure on the 2026 ballot aiming to repeal a comprehensive gun law. This legislation implements strict regulations on ghost guns—firearms that are made at home without serial numbers—criminalizes the possession of bump stocks and trigger cranks, and mandates that individuals seeking a gun license complete live-fire training.
The law also enhances the state’s red flag measures, allowing police, healthcare professionals, and school officials to notify the courts if they suspect that an individual with access to firearms could pose a serious risk, thereby allowing for the temporary confiscation of these weapons.
Proponents of the repeal claim to have gathered over 90,000 signatures, sufficient to advance their cause for voter consideration.
Toby Leary, a prominent figure in the repeal campaign, stated that the law is designed to undermine the rights of responsible gun owners rather than targeting crime or reducing gun prevalence on the streets. Leary, who is the president and co-founder of a Hyannis-based gun shop and shooting range, asserted that this action threatens all civil liberties.
“This is an assault on our civil rights,” expressed Leary. “If they can impose constraints on the Second Amendment, there’s no limit to what else they could infringe upon.”
The repeal advocates voiced strong discontent over Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey’s recent decision to enact the law immediately, which hampered their efforts to gather sufficient signatures to impose a suspension of the law until the voters could weigh in on the 2026 ballot question.
Leary criticized Healey’s initiative as an attempt to “curtail a right that is embedded in our Bill of Rights.”
In response, Healey defended her actions, stating, “This gun safety law prohibits ghost guns, enhances the Extreme Risk Protection Order framework to prevent firearms from falling into the hands of individuals who may be a danger to themselves or others, and commits resources to violence prevention initiatives. It’s essential that these policies be implemented without delay.”
Leary mentioned that the group has raised approximately $100,000 for their campaign, with the largest contribution coming from Smith & Wesson, a gun manufacturer that relocated its headquarters to Tennessee last year from Massachusetts.
The new law was enacted partly in response to the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling in Bruen, which affirmed individual rights to carry firearms for self-defense in public settings. In parallel, a federal lawsuit filed by gun rights group claims that the Massachusetts legislation is unconstitutional, labeling it as overly burdensome legislation that enforces broad bans on firearms, magazine limits, registration stipulations, and licensing conditions that are as extensive as they are historic.
Citing the Bruen ruling, the lawsuit seeks a temporary restraining order or preliminary injunction to prevent the enforcement of Massachusetts’s restrictive licensing practices concerning the possession and carrying of firearms for self-defense.
Additionally, the Massachusetts law restricts handgun carry by individuals who are not law enforcement in sensitive areas such as schools, polling places, and government buildings. It also demands applicants for firearm licenses demonstrate a fundamental understanding of safety protocols and requires access to relevant mental health records for local licensing authorities.
Prosecutors would be empowered to take action against individuals who discharge firearms near residential premises, with the underlying goal of ensuring those under restraining orders no longer have access to firearms.
The new regulations also broaden the definition of “assault weapons” to cover known models and similar firearms, imposing a ban on the possession, transfer, or selling of assault-style weapons and large-capacity magazines.
