WORCESTER — A federal judge wants to know whether Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's July directive banning an array of so-called "copycat" assault weapons constitutes a new state regulation before he decides whether to move a lawsuit forward that challenges Healey's interpretation.
"You're saying this became regulation through practice and operation," Massachusetts U.S. District Court Judge Timothy S. Hillman told attorneys representing a trio of in-state firearms retailers. "Find me a case that shows that."
