Legislative updates, court decisions, and regulatory changes affecting Massachusetts firearms law.
Senate Bill 1688 would exempt retired law enforcement officers who hold a valid federal LEOSA (Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act) Qualification Card from the firearm purchase limitations set forth in the Massachusetts approved firearms roster.
Senate Bill 397 would require state model safe-storage information and annual school-district distribution to families, guardians, and staff. The filed bill requires notices and online access, not classroom curriculum.
House Bill 2733 would require a comprehensive audit of how Massachusetts allocates and spends gun violence prevention and intervention funding. The bill passed committee favorably and has been referred to House Ways and Means.
House Bill 2672 would create a firearm-industry standard of responsible conduct and civil actions for violations by manufacturers, distributors, importers, marketers, and wholesale or retail sellers. It is before House Ways and Means.
House Bill 2590 would impose civil liability when an owner fails to report a lost or stolen firearm, the firearm is later used in a crime, and damages result. On February 9, 2026, a committee reported that the bill be placed in the Orders of the Day for the next sitting for a second reading.
House Bill 2621 would require agencies to label qualifying administrative leave as Critical Incident Leave in department records and public communications. It does not mandate leave, a minimum duration, counseling, or return-to-duty procedures.
The Massachusetts SJC is considering, in SJC-13856, whether the age-21 LTC requirement is unconstitutional.
A veto referendum on Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 has qualified for the November 3, 2026 ballot. A YES vote would keep the law. If a majority votes NO and the NO votes are at least 30 percent of all ballots cast, Chapter 135 is repealed on December 3, 2026, 30 days after the election, and the prior versions of the amended statutes return.
Hanlon v. Campbell challenges Massachusetts' Chapter 135 assault-style-firearms ban. The case was consolidated into Capen in October 2025, and the lead district-court proceeding was stayed on July 9, 2026 on a joint motion. The related consolidated Supreme Court cases are scheduled for oral argument on December 2, 2026.
An analysis of how the Supreme Court's Bruen decision has affected Massachusetts firearms licensing in practice, including the legislature's response in Chapter 135 of the Acts of 2024 and the ongoing litigation landscape.
The First Circuit affirmed denial of a preliminary injunction in Capen v. Campbell in April 2025. Capen and the consolidated Hanlon challenge are now stayed in federal district court.
EOPSS has published the August 2026 Approved Handgun Roster. Dealers must check the current roster unless a statutory exception applies and separately verify compliance with the Attorney General's handgun-sales regulations before transfer.