Maura Healey

Attorney General Maura Healey is sworn in as Massachusetts' 55th attorney general during a ceremony at Faneuil Hall in Boston, Wednesday, Jan. 21, 2015. (AP Photo/Elise Amendola)

(Elise Amendola)

BOSTON - Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey is ramping up enforcement and oversight of the state's gun laws, which were updated last year as a response to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Connecticut.

The Boston Globe reports Healey sent out a letter Tuesday to the 350 gun dealers in Massachusetts and her office plans spot checks on Bay State gun stores to make sure they're not selling illegal guns.

"For me, this is a public health crisis and acting to address it is a moral imperative," Healey wrote in the letter, which was also obtained by MassLive.com. "There are simply too many guns that are too easy to obtain."

Healey noted that there were 102,081 sales and transfers of handguns, rifles and shotguns by dealers to licensed state residents in 2014, "more than double the number from 2006."

"You are selling more weapons to more people at a scale and at a time that demands a heightened vigilance from every dealer and employee," she wrote.

Massachusetts gun laws, often referred to as some of the nation's toughest measures, ban semiautomatic assault weapons and "large capacity feeding" devices, though law enforcement officers are exempt from the ban.

In her letter, Healey reminded dealers of the ban.

"At this moment of deep and justifiable anger over gun violence, you have a serious role in ensuring public safety," she wrote.

She added: "The gun violence epidemic demands our collective action. As responsible gun dealers, I urge you to redouble your commitment to ensuring the safety of your neighbors and ask you to share any ideas you may have to increase gun safety and reduce gun violence."

Legislators at the State House moved to strengthen the state's gun laws in 2014 after the Sandy Hook shooting.

The updates included requiring licensed gun dealers to run criminal offender background checks on current and new employees, and post information on suicide awareness and prevention.

The update also required all personal sales and transfers of firearms, rifles and shotguns to be completed through a state gun transaction portal.

Healey's letter is available below.