Firearms Definitions and Features Bills: Four House Bills Target Weapons Classifications

What the Bills Would Do

Four House bills address how Massachusetts defines, classifies, and regulates specific categories of firearms:

• H2594 — "Relative to defining curios and relics." Would establish or clarify a state-level definition for curio and relic firearms, potentially aligning Massachusetts with the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) definition under 27 CFR 478.11^[1].
• H2711 — "Relative to semiautomatic rifles and shotguns." Would amend provisions governing semiautomatic long guns, potentially addressing the expanded definitions introduced by Chapter 135 in 2024^[3].
• H2713 — "Relative to firearm laws." A broader bill that would make general amendments to the state's firearms statutes^[5].
• H2715 — "Relative to firearms features." Would amend the features-based test used to classify assault weapons under Massachusetts law, potentially narrowing or clarifying which cosmetic or functional features trigger the ban^[7].

Current Status

All four bills had hearings rescheduled to October 31, 2025, before the Joint Committee on Public Safety and Homeland Security^[2][4][6][8]. None have received further committee action.

What to Watch

H2594 (curios and relics) is the most likely to attract bipartisan support because it addresses collectors who own historical firearms that are not used in crimes. The federal C&R license allows collectors to acquire firearms of recognized historical interest, but Massachusetts does not have a clear parallel at the state level, creating legal uncertainty for collectors. H2711 and H2715 directly engage with Chapter 135's expanded assault weapons definitions — the most controversial component of the 2024 law. These bills are effectively a legislative counterpart to the ongoing legal challenges to Chapter 135's constitutionality in federal court.