On July 20, 2016, the Attorney General of Massachusetts issued a new
interpretation (Enforcement Notice) of the Massachusetts Assault Weapons
Ban of 1998, emphasizing the illegality of “copy” and “duplicate” assault rifles,
which effectively banned the sale of all assault rifles in Massachusetts.
Before the Enforcement Notice, Massachusetts substantively adopted the Federal
Assault Weapons Ban of 1994, which forbid the sale of certain assault rifles if
the rifle met particular specifications.
