Gov. Charlie Baker said Wednesday it's time for the federal government to adopt a new ban on assault-style weapons.
Baker said Massachusetts' low firearm crime rate is due to the state's strict gun control policies, including the assault weapons ban.
"Look, I think the assault weapons ban in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, based on all the data that's available, has served this Commonwealth well and I think it would be appropriate at this point for the federal government to adopt something similar," Baker told reporters Wednesday.
Baker has said the federal government should take up some of the policies in place in Massachusetts, which has some of the nation's strictest gun laws. These include provisions allowing local police chiefs to confiscate firearms if a licensed weapon-holder is deemed a threat.
Baker was criticized in 2013 and through the 2014 gubernatorial campaign for voicing skepticism that an assault weapon bans similar to the one in Massachusetts would be effective nationally.
Baker came around to the idea later in 2014, but was forced to repeat himself this week after former Newton Mayor and Democratic hopeful, Setti Warren distributed a 2013 video of Baker saying he'd need to see evidence that a federal ban would work.
The state's assault weapons ban was enacted in 1998.
