You don't have to be a Marylander to help stop this from becoming law...
This new legislation is simply over the top.
Maryland already 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, Senate Bill 281 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...