BOSTON (WWLP) – As tensions rise between supporters and opponents of the new gun law, a Healey spokesperson says the Governor will move to immediately implement the law on Wednesday.
Ware police chief violated conflict of interest law with statements on Massachusetts gun reform bill While new laws typically take effect 90 days after they are signed, the governor plans to attach an emergency preamble which skips this waiting time. It also prevents the law’s opponents from pursuing a 2026 ballot question, which would prevent the law from being enacted before voters weigh in.
State leadership says that this bill, which cracks down on ghost guns and expands the “red flag law” that allows guns to be taken away from someone considered a threat, is too important to be delayed.
Governor Healey said in a statement that this bill is meant to “keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others, and invests in violence prevention programs. 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. It is important that these measures go into effect without delay.”
Massachusetts Gun Reform (H.4885)
A new wide-spanning gun reform bill is the most expansive firearm legislation in a decade and looks to crack down on ghost guns, expand the law that allows courts to take guns away from those considered a threat, and add schools, government buildings, and polling places to the list of areas where firearms are prohibited.
H4885 Download What is a ghost gun
‘Ghost guns’ are untraceable firearms that don’t have serial numbers. They can be easily purchased online, often in a kit that comes with parts to assemble at home. Because these weapons are nearly impossible to trace, it makes it that much harder for law enforcement to gauge just how many are circulating in the streets.
According to ATF, there is no way of knowing how many ghost guns are out there, and as technology advances, it gives even more options for ghost guns. People have even 3D-printed gun parts.
The flood of ghost guns is slowing after regulation. It’s also being challenged in the Supreme Court Gun law opposition
The lead opponent to the gun law and to Healey’s action this week is the Gun Owner’s Action League. The group provided the following statement to 22News.
“At every turn, the legislature and now the Governor, have avoided honest public input, especially from the 2A community,” said Jim Wallace, the Executive Director of Gun Owners’ Action League. “We are the only stakeholders involved and there is a consistent effort to silence our voices and mislead the general public.”
The Gun Owner’s Action League says they have begun drafting a federal complaint with the hope of stopping enforcement of this law until voters can weigh in. Opponents of the law who want it to appear on the 2026 ballot have until October 9th to submit the over 37,000 required signatures to election officials.
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