Maryland Governor proposes far-reaching anti-gun legislation...you can help us.

[Beemerguy53]

Maryland has some of the strictest gun laws in the USA, including a mandatory waiting period and separate state background check, a one-gun-per-month purchase limit, bans on "assault pistols" (no, I am not making that up, that's what they called them), a ban on private secondary sales, and much, much more.

Now our Governor has proposed new restrictions on legal gun ownership, which take the form of Senate Bill 281. This bill would, among other things:

* Ban "assault weapons", defined so broadly that all AR-15s would be banned.

* Ban mags holding more than 10 rounds.

* Require an eight-hour training class and the issuance of a state license before anyone could buy a gun.

None of this will have any effect on the mean streets of Baltimore, where most gun crimes in Maryland are committed. This bill is designed only to inhibit the lawful acquisition and use of firearms in this state.

The NRA/ILA sent out an alert to all Maryland members, but I'm thinking that even out-of-state gun owners could help. If you would take the time to e-mail key elected officials here, and let them know, for example, that you will not spend any tourist dollars in a state where the 2nd Amendment means nothing, it might at least make them think about the real-world effect of this leglislation.

Here's a link to the NRA's Legislative Alert:

NRA-ILA | Maryland: Contact Your State Legislators Immediately! Legislation Introduced to Ban Commonly Owned Firearms Restrict Magazine Capacity and Severely Tighten Registration Requirements

In addition to the Senators listed in the Alert, who all sit on the Committee which will hear the bill, you might wish to write to the Senate President and the Speaker of the House of Delegates. They are:

Senator Thomas V. Mike Miller, Jr.
[email protected]

Delegate Michael E. Busch
[email protected]

Thanks for any help you can provide...

 

[riderrick65]

Reply to Thread

Even though I reside in Kentucky, these anti-gun regulations are hurting everyone so I am trying to support all the gun owners/enthusiasts out there by supporting their causes. Emails were sent to both Mr. Bush & Mr. Miller. Hope this helps in getting this anti-gun legislation knocked down.

 

[Shinny]

I was reading it on another forum last night. It's not good at all. There's nothing in it that has to do with safety andit's called the firearms safety act.
The ammo restriction prevents anyone under 21 from hunting
Mag limits, we know won't make anything safer,
registration makes us unsafe etc.
This truly is only meant to turn law abiding into criminals overnight. It's very scary and sad.

Nothing will make Baltimore safer except actually enforcing the current laws that the criminals laugh at, I know first hand.

 

[Comrad]

Anyone think the 8 hour training class is good? I read a lot about jerks who can't handle a firearm safely on this forum. Wouldn't this help that dangerous situation. Just asking.

 

[Shinny]

Anyone think the 8 hour training class is good? I read a lot about jerks who can't handle a firearm safely on this forum. Wouldn't this help that dangerous situation. Just asking.

I think everyone should have some type of training for firearms, but mandatory training provided by the State won't work. Look how crazy it is to get a driver's license test. Crazy rules, expensive fees, too many hoops to put up and impede a person.
I have friends that sat on a waiting list for over a year to get a motorcycle safety class to get a license.

 

[mjb99]

Anyone think the 8 hour training class is good? I read a lot about jerks who can't handle a firearm safely on this forum. Wouldn't this help that dangerous situation. Just asking.

Shall we then require training before members of the media or protestors exercise their first ammendment rights?

At this point in time I am very leery of giving government any more tools than it already has - the potential for abuse is far too great.

 

[atheophilos]

Anyone think the 8 hour training class is good? I read a lot about jerks who can't handle a firearm safely on this forum. Wouldn't this help that dangerous situation. Just asking.

I don't think the shooter in CT would have worried about the class. I don't think the shooter in NY who killed the fireman would have cared about the class. People set on breaking the law don't care about the law in the first place.

I just received my firearm carry permit and I am going to take the safety class recommended by the sheriff but I respect the law and want to carry safely. Is the class good? Yes. But will the requirement stop crime? I don't think so.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Anyone think the 8 hour training class is good? I read a lot about jerks who can't handle a firearm safely on this forum. Wouldn't this help that dangerous situation. Just asking.

There is already a training requirement in order to purchase a handgun. You have to watch a video about gun safety.

Think about this: The bill specifies that the training class must run 8 hours. Why? What is the point of specifying, in the original legislation, how many hours a training class must consume? The only answer is that the sponsors are looking to make it so inconvenient to buy a gun that many people will simply give up on the idea.

 

[Beemerguy53]

Thanks to everyone for your well-considered responses. If you have not already done so, please write to the legislators I referenced above about your opposition to Senate Bill 281.

Thanks!

 

[Beemerguy53]

Well, I set out yesterday morning bright and early for our state capital to testify on Senate Bill 281, which would license gun ownership in Maryland, ban a large number of rifles and handguns, and severely restrict the Constitutional rights of lawabiding citizens. Now, I have been testifying in the Maryland General Assembly for the better part of 40 years on matters that interest me, but I was totally unprepared for what I saw when I got to Annapolis....

Traffic getting into town was gridlocked. There were thousands -- many thousands -- of citizens occupying the square around the State Capitol and the surrounding streets, many carrying pro-Second Amendment signs of all sorts. The line to sign up to testify on SB281 led from the committee hearing room on the 2nd floor of the Senate Office Building, tripled-over into the corridor outside, went down the steps and then down a 1st floor corridor, then out the door and around the building. For the first time ever, the State Fire Marshall had to close the building due to overcrowding. The NRA reported that a total of 3,000 citizens signed up to testify on SB281, and a pro-2A Senator reported that at 9 PM last night, with the hearing about to adjourn, there were still 200 people waiting to speak. (Many folks, told in late afternoon that there was no way their testimony would be heard, left around dinnertime.)

This was an amazing demonstration of "the will of the people". That so many Marylanders took time off from work and went to such trouble to defend their rights is very telling, and I hope our leaders in Annapolis will be suitably impressed.

 

[eschoendorff]

I didn't see that anyone posted this yet... a very impressive speech in Maryland yesterday:

Dan Bongino @ Guns Across America Rally in Annapolis, MD - YouTube

 

[riderrick65]

Reply to Thread

^
^
What a great speech, Dan tells it like it is!

 

[hdatontodo]

We need MD/VA/PA people to come to Annapolis MD to help us have even greater numbers for the House and Senate hearings in early March, 3/1 and 3/5 it seems. The anti-gun's may have reserved Lawyer's Mall where we assembled before, but numbers still matter for lining up.

March 1, House of Delegates Gun Day - Maryland Shooters

 

[Rintimtin]

Its not just gun control anymore they want control of all guns. If you let them get away with this stuff when dealing with the 2A then after they have taken control of all of our weapons then they will say we cant speak out against the government. civil rights aren't privileges they are given from god.

 

[Buffalohunter60]

The law makers need to be reminded of their Oath to protect and defend the Constitution, if they betray that Oath...any laws they pass are unconstitutional and invalid. I believe the NRA will challange them in court...next step should be removing them from office and take away their pention for an act of treason. They need to be charged and let them defend their action in a court of law, if found guilty.....removed from office and forfit all retirement benifits and serve time for betrayin the trust of the people that elected them to represent them and respect the Oath the took to defend the constitution. If we break the law, we are held responsible....the Politions also need to have their feet held to the fire if they betray the trust we put in them and try to pass an unconstitutional law. I would disregard any law that infringes on our second amendment because it is unconstitutional and will not stand up in court. We need to stick together and push for them to take responsibility for their actions. (including the POTUS)