Lawsuit and repeal effort launched by gun rights activists against new Massachusetts law

Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey recently signed a comprehensive firearms bill into law, prompting gun rights activists to file a lawsuit challenging the new regulations. The law expands the state’s existing strict gun restrictions, partially in response to the Supreme Court’s Bruen decision acknowledging citizens’ right to carry firearms in public for self-defense. Among its provisions, the legislation addresses issues like privately made unserialized “ghost guns,” bans bump stocks and trigger cranks, mandates live-fire training for gun license applicants, and updates criteria for defining assault-style weapons.

Additionally, the law enhances the state’s “red flag” policy to allow various parties, including law enforcement, healthcare professionals, and school officials, to notify the courts if they suspect someone with access to firearms poses a danger, potentially leading to temporary confiscation of their guns. Activists are aiming to bring a question before voters in 2026 to repeal the law, and individuals seeking to halt its enactment until the referendum must gather around 49,716 signatures from registered voters.

A federal lawsuit has been filed by gun advocates arguing that the law is unconstitutional and overly restrictive, especially in terms of licensing requirements for firearm possession and carry. Jim Wallace, from the Massachusetts Gun Owners Action League, indicated that the lawsuit is the initial step in a broader legal strategy to challenge various aspects of the law. Democratic state Rep. Michael Day, a key architect of the legislation, expressed confidence in its ability to withstand legal scrutiny and suggested that voters would support it if given the chance in 2026.

The law includes provisions prohibiting non-law enforcement individuals from carrying guns at certain locations, implements increased licensing standards, and expands the definition of “assault weapons” to include similar firearms. It prohibits the possession, transfer, or sale of assault-style firearms or large-capacity feeding devices, and restricts issuing licenses to carry machine guns, with exceptions for specific groups. The legislation also addresses the possession of parts intended to enhance a weapon’s lethality, such as bump stocks and rapid-fire trigger activators.

Legal experts like Cody Jacobs from Boston University School of Law believe that the law’s requirements, including heightened licensing standards, are within legal bounds and do not infringe on Second Amendment rights. District attorneys are granted the authority to prosecute individuals shooting near homes, and measures are in place to prevent individuals under restraining orders from accessing firearms. The law aims to enhance public safety and reduce potential risks associated with firearm ownership in Massachusetts.