Healey Crushes Gun Law Opponents

Image: General Thomas Gage

Not taking any chances, Gov. Maura Healey plans to move Wednesday to immediately implement a wide-ranging gun  law, in the process preventing opponents from suspending the law for more than two years while they work to give voters the final say on its contents.

A spokesperson for the governor said Healey will sign an emergency preamble for the law that she initially signed July 25, many provisions of which were set to take effect Oct. 23 without additional action. The move will instead put much of the law in place immediately and take a temporary suspension off the table.

"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," Healey said in a statement Tuesday.

Opponents led by several gun owners groups and Second Amendment supporters are pursuing a 2026 ballot question to repeal the law. Under the state Constitution, a campaign can prevent a law from taking effect until voters weigh in by submitting enough signatures, but only if the measure does not have an emergency preamble attached.

The campaign, dubbed The Civil Rights Coalition, must file at least 37,287 signatures with local elections officials by Oct. 9 to put a referendum on the 2026 ballot and according to some sources was getting close to meeting that objective.