Governor Calls for Clarity in Assault Weapons Ban Enforcement

BOSTON, MA — Gov. Charlie Baker supports Massachusetts' longstanding assault weapons ban, but he nonetheless had questions Tuesday for Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey over her recent crackdown on what she terms, "copycat" weapons.

Baker, a Republican, sent a letter to Democrat Healey's office Tuesday seeking clarification, something advocates at the state's Gun Owners' Action League have also pushed for.

Healey's enforcement notice last week went out to the 350 gun dealers around the state, warning them that assault weapons as defined under state law remain banned, even if they are modified in ways believed by gun dealers to abide by the law.

"If a gun's operating system is essentially the same as a banned weapon, or if the gun has component parts that are interchangeable with those of a banned weapon — it's a copy, it's a duplicate, and it's illegal," Healey said, as she introduced the new enforcement guidelines.

But Baker said Tuesday that clarifications are needed to protect law-abiding gun owners' rights. In his letter to the AG's office, WBUR reports, he wrote:

"I support the assault weapons ban that has been in place for nearly 20 years here in Massachusetts and support our country's Second Amendment. However, ambiguities in your notice require clarification for responsible gun owners who simply want to follow the rules and for the thousands of gun owners who were told they were following the rules for 18 years."

Over the weekend, hundreds of gun owners protested outside the state Capitol in Boston, condemning Healey for, they said, changing the law's interpretation "overnight."

>>> Read the full story on Baker's letter from WBUR. <<<

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