BOSTON — While a coalition outraged over the state’s new firearms law continues to push toward a repeal question on the 2026 ballot, Sen. Peter Durant announced Thursday he will file a series of bills this session in an attempt to quickly strike down controversial gun laws.
The Spencer Republican said he will file legislation next week that would repeal the sweeping 2024 firearms law, which Beacon Hill Democrats passed overwhelmingly and touted as one of their major accomplishments of the term.
“While we recognize that this will be an uphill battle, it is a fight worth pursuing. Legal challenges are already underway, but we believe the Legislative Branch, where this problem originated, can and should provide a faster resolution,” Durant said at a press conference on the State House steps.
The senator said he would also file five other bills aimed at eliminating “some of the more egregious sections” dealing with gun registration, semiautomatic rifles and shotguns (Section 33), live fire training requirements, a nonresident ban on semiautomatic hunting , and pre-ban magazines.
Durant said he had heard from interested colleagues and expected a “healthy number” of cosponsors.
Toby Leary, a Cape Cod gun shop owner and leader of the coalition taking their battle to the ballot, said he would not be satisfied “until all unconstitutional infringements are repealed.”
Durant called the new law ineffective at deterring crime, and brought up the recent arrest of Leonardo Andujar Sanchez, an illegal immigrant allegedly busted with pounds of lethal drugs and an AR-15 rifle at a state-run family shelter in Revere.
“And he doesn’t care what our laws are. He’s got an AR-15 and he’s dealing drugs out of one of the hotels. So who are these laws meant to protect, or who are they meant to harm? That’s the problem that we have here,” Durant told reporters.