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Here is a summary of what took place in Annapolis yesterday from Delegate Hough from Frederick and Washington County. Its not pretty.

O’Malley Gun Grab Passes House Committees

On Friday evening two house committees, including the House Judiciary Committee of which I am a member passed Governor Martin O’Malley’s gun grab bill Senate Bill 281 by a vote of 27-18.

Those of us who are proponents of the Second Amendment spent over eight hours offering amendments to the bill. Numerous amendments were accepted, including one I offered to protect ammunition used by waterfowl hunters. In addition amendments were accepted to bar the state police from disclosing the addresses of gun owners, to allow a 18-year old in the military to purchase regulated firearms, and to remove registration requirements for those who inherit firearms.

The committee adopted amendments striking registration requirements for individuals who currently own so-called “assault” weapons. The committee also exempted current handgun owners from testing requirements when they buy future handguns.

Unfortunately the main provisions on this anti-gun bill survived. Here’s what the bill still does:

Requires law-abiding citizens, prior to purchasing a handgun to be fingerprinted at state police headquarters, have a background check, take four hours of classroom instruction, pass an undefined test at a gun range, and obtain a gun license. Due to a lack of public ranges and instructors, for many this will be a de facto ban on buying handguns. Currently it’s taking over 60 days for individuals to obtain hand guns.

Limits magazine bullet capacity for all guns to ten rounds.

Bans so-called “assault” weapons, which includes the nationally popular sports shooting rifle the AR-15. These weapons were tied to zero murders in Maryland last year.

Enables State Police to do ATF style investigations on gun stores. This was enacted despite opposition from gun store owners for the supposed purpose of preventing straw purchases. The State Police, Attorney General’s office, and the Governor’s office were never able to even answer the question of how many straw purchase prosecutions there were last year under the current Maryland law.

An amendment was also added yesterday to take peoples guns after a Probation Before Judgment (PBJ). Under Maryland law these are not considered convictions and I strongly oppose taking people’s rights and property away unless there is a conviction.

Finally, Democrats rejected all attempts to increase school security and to punish criminals who use guns in crimes. Unbelievably an amendment was defeated that would have allowed off-duty police officers to have their firearms on school grounds. I know if a shooter was at my one my kid’s school I would pray to God there was an armed police officer nearby. It should be noted that legislators rejected this amendment, while sitting in a state building that is protected by armed guards.

Another amendment that was narrowly defeated would have removed good time prison credits for those who use guns in the commission of violent crimes. Clearly the message is we only want to punish law-abiding citizens and not criminals.

This bill will head to the House floor next week for a final vote. Pro-Second Amendment activists have done an awesome job of attending bill hearings in Annapolis and contacting legislators. I urge you to continue to speak out against SB 281 for one more week.

Sincerely,

Delegate Michael Hough
Frederick & Washington Counties

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Jon