BOSTON — A gun rights group is seeking to repeal a recently approved law banning “ghost” guns and adding dozens of new weapons to the state’s assault weapons ban, blasting the changes as unconstitutional and unenforceable.
The Gun Owners Action League of Massachusetts, an affiliate of the National Rifle Association, has filed a petition with the Secretary of State’s office to begin the process of gathering signatures on a petition to put a repeal of the law before voters next year. The group wants to suspend the law ahead of a 2026 statewide referendum.
“We’re going to use whatever means possible to fight it,” Jim Wallace, GOAL’s executive director, said. “This is a flat-out ban on the Second Amendment. The general public has no idea what’s in this law, or how to comply with it. They were told this was about ghost guns, but it’s got nothing to do with ghost guns.”
“Ghost” guns are privately made firearms that cannot be traced.
To suspend the law ahead of a referendum, supporters would need to gather nearly 50,000 signatures from registered voters after the state Attorney General’s office proposes the wording for the petitions.
Gov. Maura Healey, a Democrat, could block the move to suspend the law by adding an emergency preamble requiring it to go into effect immediately.
Backers of the repeal effort could get on the 2026 ballot even if the law goes into effect, but would still need at least 37,287 signatures. They’re in the process of setting up a ballot committee to collect signatures and raise money for the initiative.
“We’ve got people lining up to volunteer for the effort,” Wallace said. “There’s about 650,000 licensed gun owners in the state. This isn’t just a couple rednecks and a militia.”
But Healey said she would oppose any efforts to suspend the law while opponents gather signatures for the effort, saying she was “proud” to sign the new restrictions into law.
“This is another example of common sense gun reform legislation,” Healey, a Democrat, told reporters Monday. “It had widespread support from law enforcement and its the right move we need to make in the state to make it safer. I think it represents the kind of common sense gun safety laws that the vast majority of Americans are behind.”
Federal suit filed
To be sure, GOAL has also filed a federal lawsuit challenging the new training and licensing requirements for getting a firearm license, which the group says is unenforceable.
“The training doesn’t exist and there’s no funding for it,” Wallace said. “When this goes into effect, nobody will be able to apply for a firearm license without certification. We’ve had domestic violence victims calling us terrified that they won’t be able to get a license to defend themselves.”
The new law bans the open carry of firearms in government buildings, polling places and schools, with exemptions for law enforcement officials.
It sets strict penalties for possession of modification devices such as Glock switches that convert semi-automatic firearms into fully automatic, military-style weapons.
The state’s “red flag” law, which allows a judge to suspend the gun license of someone deemed at risk to themselves or others, would also be expanded under the new law.
The plan would expand a list of people who can petition a judge to issue an “extreme risk protection” orders to include physicians, nurses, psychiatrists and other health care professionals.
Dozens of long rifles would be added to the state’s “assault” weapons ban, while the bill would “grandfather-in” newly banned weapons purchased prior to the new restrictions going into effect.
Tough gun laws
Massachusetts already has some of the toughest gun control laws in the country, including real-time license checks for private gun sales and stiff penalties for gun-based crimes.
Last year, Democrats pushed through changes to the state’s gun licensing laws in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling guaranteeing a constitutional right of people to carry firearms in public places.
Democrats cite mass shootings across the country and argue the high court’s ruling in the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen case weakened the state’s firearm protections. They argue that gun violence is still impacting communities across the state whether by suicide, domestic violence or drive-by shootings.
Gun control advocates argue the strict requirements have given the largely urban state one of the lowest gun-death rates in the nation, while not infringing on people’s right to bear arms.
But Second Amendment groups argue that tougher gun control laws are unnecessary, and punish law-abiding gun owners while sidestepping the issue of illegal firearms.
Christian M. Wade covers the Massachusetts Statehouse for North of Boston Media Group’s newspapers and websites. Email him at cwade@cnhinews.com