Massachusetts lawmakers approve ‘ghost gun’ crackdown

The Massachusetts House approved a gun bill Wednesday that tightens firearm laws and cracks down on unregistered firearms, sometimes called ghost guns.

The bill was passed by a vote of 120-38 and will be sent to the state Senate.

Massachusetts House Speaker Ronald Mariano (D), a key player in the bill, said the legislation came as a result of the U.S. Supreme Court’s 2022 decision that expanded Second Amendment rights.

The proposal creates new laws that ban firing guns at or near homes and outlaws carrying firearms while intoxicated. Schools, polling places and government buildings would also be considered places where carrying firearms is against the law.

The bill also targets the sale and purchase of new AR-15 assault weapons and bans someone from turning a legal firearm into an illegal automatic weapon, The Associated Press reported.

The state also wants to enhance a system to track firearms used in crimes to help curb the flow of illegal guns going into the state.

Opposers to the bill say the legislation doesn’t just target criminals, it is directed toward lawful gun owners.

Advocates of the bill say trainings and restrictions on carrying are common-sense steps.

The state Senate has yet to release its own gun bill, but the two Democratic chambers will need to file a single bill to send to Gov. Maura Healey (D) before the gun legislation becomes law.