Gov. to immediately implement gun law

Governor Healey plans to immediately enact Massachusetts highly controversial gun law. 22 News Statehouse reporter Olivia Ray got a look at support and opposition for enacting this law right away. As tensions rise between supporters and opponents of a new gun law, a Healey spokesperson says the governor will move to immediately implement the law on Wednesday. While new laws typically take effect 90 days after they are signed unless otherwise noted, the governor plans to attach an emergency preamble which skips the waiting time. It also prevents the law's opponents from pursuing a 2026 ballot question, which would prevent the law from being enacted before voters weigh in. Now opponents to the law who want it to appear on the 2026 ballot have just until October 9th to submit the over 37,000 required signatures to election officials. State leadership says this bill, which cracks down on ghost guns and expands the red flag law that allows guns to be taken away from someone considered a threat, is too important to be delayed. Governor Healey saying in a statement this bill is meant to keep guns out of the hands of people who are a danger to themselves or others and invest in violence prevention programs. The lead opponent to the new gun law and to Healey's action this week is the Gun Owners Action League. The group provided a statement to 22 News saying quote, at every turn the legislature and now the governor have avoided honest public input, especially from the 2A community. We are the only stakeholders involved and there is a consistent effort to silence our voices and mislead the general public. The Gun Owners Action League says they have begun drafting a federal complaint with the hopes of stopping enforcement of this law until voters can weigh in. Working for you from the Statehouse in Boston, I'm Olivia Wray, 22 News.