Gov. Deval Patrick is filing gun control legislation he says will close loopholes in Massachusetts' existing laws while strengthening mental health services.
Some measures in the bill have been filed by Patrick in the past, including restricting gun owners to purchasing one firearm a month and mandating buyers undergo background checks before purchasing weapons at gun shows.
The bill would also tighten access to high-powered ammunition, create four new types of firearms-related crimes, and require the state to send all relevant mental health records to a federal gun license registry.
Patrick's bill also includes $5 million for Department of Mental Health programs, including training teachers to recognize symptoms of mental illness in students.
The push for tighter gun laws has intensified in the wake of the Newtown, Conn., school shooting
