🚩 Governor Healey Signs Massive Gun Law Reform Bill, Redefining “Assault Weapons” and Tightening Registration Requirements

Late last week the Massachusetts house of representatives enacted (Yeas 35 to Nays 5) a 116-page bill revising dozens of the state’s gun laws. (See my post: Mass House of Representatives Passes Massive Gun Reform Bill: “An Act Modernizing Firearm Laws)

Today Governor Healey signed the bill into law.

According to a lengthy press release from the governor’s office, the legislation is a response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s “misguided” decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen,

The Bruen opinion, authored by Justice Thomas, struck done a New York gun law which required gun license applicants to show “good cause” before they were granted permission to carry a firearm.

Probably the most controversial portion of Massachusetts’ new legislation is the revised definition of “assault weapons.”

Formerly, Massachusetts adhered to the federal definition of assault weapons. This was a list of military-style guns that most people would consider assault weapons. The list included:

(i) Avtomat Kalashnikov (AK) (all models);

(ii) Action Arms Israeli Military Industries UZI and Galil;

(iii) Beretta Ar70 (SC–70); (iv) Colt AR–15;

(v) Fabrique National FN/FAL, FN/LAR and FNC; (vi) SWD M–10, M–11, M–11/9 and M–12;

(vi) Steyr AUG;

(vii) INTRATEC TEC–9, TEC–DC9 and TEC–22; and

(viii) revolving cylinder shotguns, such as, or similar to, the Street Sweeper and Striker 12.

Former M.G.L. c. 140, Sec. 121

The new legislation has taken current “assault weapon” restrictions and applied them to “assault-style firearms.”

The list of characteristics that makes a gun “assault-style” is extremely broad. It includes, but is not limited to,

a semiautomatic, centerfire rifle with the capacity to accept a detachable feeding  device and includes at least 2 of the following features:

(i) a folding or telescopic stock;

(ii) a thumbhole stock or pistol grip;

(iii) a forward grip or second handgrip or protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

(iv) a threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor or muzzle break or similar feature; or

(v) a shroud that encircles either all or part of  the barrel designed to shield the bearer’s hand from heat, excluding a slide that encloses the  barrel.

Additionally,

a semiautomatic pistol with the capacity to accept a detachable feeding device and  includes at least 2 of the following features:

(i) the capacity to accept a feeding device that attaches to the pistol outside of the pistol grip;

(ii) a second handgrip or a protruding grip that can be held by the non-trigger hand;

(iii) a threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash suppressor, forward handgrip or silencer; or

(iv) a shroud that encircles either all or part of the barrel designed to shield the bearer’s hand from heat, excluding a slide that encloses the barrel.

Finally,

a semiautomatic shotgun that includes at least 2 of the following features:

(i) a folding or telescopic stock;

(ii) a thumbhole stock or pistol grip;

(iii) a protruding grip for the non-trigger hand; or

(iv) the capacity to accept a detachable feeding device

The legislation also cracks down on “ghost guns” and tightens restrictions on gun transfers and serial number requirements.