maura healey.jpg

Maura Healey stands outside the State House on Oct. 21, 2013, the day Healey announced that she is launching a campaign for attorney general.

(Shira Schoenberg for The Republican/MassLive.com)

BOSTON — Even though Massachusetts has some of the toughest gun laws in the country that is not stopping some candidates for higher officer from calling for even stricter ones.

Democratic candidate for attorney general Maura Healey has released a plan that calls for strengthening the background check system and embracing new technologies that make it easier to trace guns if they are used in a crime.

In a release, Healey, a former bureau chief and assistant attorney general, said she wants to enhance the background check system with the inclusion of additional information like recent restraining orders, pending indictments, parole and probation information as well as anything related to domestic violence.

"There are some gaps in what we have in terms of background checks," said Healey.

In her plan Healey acknowledges that the majority of guns used in crimes in Massachusetts come from out of state. Healey plans to organize a national network of attorney generals and work closely with national law enforcement agencies like the Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms to do a better job of tracking stolen and missing guns.

"Most of the AGs in this area are really committed to reduce violence and promote public safety," said Healey.

Healey said she would like to see gun makers incorporate fingerprint trigger locks and firearm micro-stamping on all guns sold in Massachusetts. The practice of firearm micro-stamping involves the stamping of a serial number on fired casings.

"This is a common sense plan to fight gun violence in the Commonwealth, a problem that tears at our families and our communities," said Healey.



Healey raised concerns about the spread of 3-D printing technology that allows people to manufacture nearly anything with the proper schematic and materials. She supports 3-D printing technology but is weary of the devices being used to print untraceable guns.

"They are really cool and have all kinds of cool uses. What's not cool is printing 3-d guns, using them in a crime, and then melting the evidence," said Healey.

Healey said she wants to expand programs like YouthConnect that send social workers into communities and places where young people are likely to get sucked into the world of violence. The state needs to do better when working with inmates as they reenter society after spending years in prison, said Healey.

"If we're really going to combat gun violence we need a multi-prong, multi-faceted strategy," said Healey.