Massachusetts Gov. Maura Healey signed the Legislature's deep overhaul of state firearms laws Thursday, approving new strategies for combating so-called ghost guns and expanding the law that allows a court to take guns away from someone considered a threat to themselves or others.
The bill passed the House and Senate last week after months of closed-door talks between the branches. A handful of Democrats joined all Republicans in opposition to the final version of the bill. Healey signed the bill in full.
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"Massachusetts is proud of our strong gun laws, but there is always more work to be done to keep our communities safe from violence. This legislation updates our firearms laws in response to the Supreme Court’s misguided Bruen decision," Healey said in a statement. "It cracks down on ghost guns and 3-D printed weapons, which I have long advocated for, enhances our ability to prevent guns from falling into dangerous hands, and invests in our communities to address the root causes of violence. This law will save lives, and I’m grateful to the Legislature and gun safety advocates for their hard work to see this through."
The new law provides new enforcement tools to crack down on untraceable "ghost guns," bans firearms in additional public spaces like schools, polling places and government buildings, and expands the 2018 "red flag" law to allow school administrators and licensed health care providers to petition a court to temporarily take firearms away from someone deemed a threat to themselves or others.
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Hoping to slow the proliferation of ghost guns -- many of which are assembled at home by people not licensed to carry firearms, officials have said -- the legislation requires all firearms, including individual frames and receivers, to be stamped with a serial number. It also includes new penalties for possession, creation and transfer of untraceable guns.
"Untraceable firearms like ghost guns and 3-D printed weapons pose a tremendous risk to public safety, and our laws must evolve to stop the proliferation of these dangerous weapons," Public Safety and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy said. "This new legislation strengthens our ability to combat gun violence, hold violent offenders accountable, and enhance community safety. The law also advances Massachusetts’ position as a national leader in strong and effective gun laws."
