Chapter 284 of the Acts of 2014: Massachusetts Gun Reform Act

On August 13, 2014, Governor Deval Patrick signed Chapter 284 of the Acts of 2014^[1] into law. The act represented the most significant reform of Massachusetts firearms law between the 1998 overhaul and Chapter 135 of 2024.

Key Provisions

• Elimination of Class B LTC: The Commonwealth would no longer issue Class B licenses (which restricted holders to non-large-capacity firearms). Going forward, only Class A LTCs would be issued.
• Suitability standard reformed: The act retained licensing authority discretion to deny based on unsuitability, but added procedural protections. Licensing authorities who deny based on unsuitability must now provide written reasons. For the first time, applicants could appeal LTC restrictions to District Court, where the burden of proof shifted to the police chief.
• 90-day renewal grace period: Gun owners who apply for renewal receive a receipt upon application, making the existing license valid until the new license is received.
• Junior shooter provisions: Trainers could provide firearms to junior shooters/hunters with parental consent. Juniors could apply for an FID at age 14 and receive it at 15.
• Mental health protections: People who voluntarily seek mental health help would not be listed as prohibited persons.
• Pepper spray legalized without a license requirement.

What Chapter 284 Did Not Do

The act did not introduce any new gun or magazine bans. It focused primarily on licensing reform and procedural fairness rather than expanding prohibitions.

Legacy

Chapter 284 established the framework that governed Massachusetts firearms licensing for a decade. Many of its provisions were preserved or modified by Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024, which further reformed the suitability standard and eliminated the remaining class distinctions.