Massachusetts lawmakers push “ghost gun” crackdown bill

Massachusetts state lawmakers on Wednesday filed joint legislation to amend state gun laws by cracking down on “ghost guns,” expanding the state’s red flag law and limiting dangerous individuals’ access to firearms.

The new bill, a compromise between the pending State House and State Senate bills, is likely to be approved by both chambers in a vote tomorrow. After that, it will appear on Democratic Governor Maura Healy’s desk to be signed into law.

The initial impetus for the legislation was the Supreme Court’s 2022 decision in New York State Rifle & Pistol Association, Inc. v. Bruen, a case that expanded gun rights. The majority ruling in the case stated that both the Second and Fourteenth Amendments protect an individual’s right to carry a gun for self-defense outside the home.

A joint collaboration between Massachusetts’ House and Senate was led by State Representative Michael Day and State Senator Cynthia Creem.

According to NBC Boston, Day and Creem said in a joint statement that the bill “delivers meaningfully on our promise to align our statutes with the challenges gun violence poses to our communities today and incorporates the perspectives of firearm owners, law enforcement, community leaders and those impacted directly by gun violence.”

Newsweek reached out to Day and Creem for comment via email on Wednesday.

The proposed bill is hard on “ghost guns,” which are largely untraceable, privately made firearms from different non-serialized and often mixed and matched parts. These weapons pose a significant safety concern, with nearly 38,000 ghost guns recovered since 2017, although that number is likely an underestimate given their untraceable nature.

A summary of the legislation obtained by NBC shows that the bill would require all firearms to be serialized and would impose new penalties for the possession, creation and transfer of the so-called “ghost guns.”

House Speaker Ronald Marino issued a statement ahead of Thursday’s vote, saying: “While the Commonwealth’s existing gun laws have proven to be effective in preventing gun violence compared to other states, relative success is never a cause for complacency.”

Newsweek reached out to Mariano for comment via email on Wednesday. Newsweek also reached out to Senate President Karen Spilka for comment via email on Wednesday.

Additionally, the bill is set to expand the state’s red flag law by authorizing health care professionals and others to petition a court to suspend an individual’s right to firearm possession.

The legislation also forbids carrying firearms in public spaces like government buildings, polling places and schools, with exemptions for law enforcement members. It would also require people applying for a firearm license to pass a basic safety exam and live fire training.