Today, the Maryland General Assembly convened its 2014 legislative session. Over the next ninety days, your NRA-ILA will be actively engaged in defending the Second Amendment in Annapolis. While the 2013 legislative session represented the most aggressive attack on your Second Amendment rights in decades, the fight is far from over and anti-gun attacks will likely continue in this election year session. Last year, Maryland’s gun owners presented an overwhelming and united front in the defense of our Second Amendment rights in Annapolis. The number of Maryland citizens who showed up in support of the Second Amendment caused buildings in the state house complex to shut down twice with sheer force of numbers, communicating our position to elected officials on a daily basis, and showing that Maryland citizens are not going to stand idly by while their rights are under assault. Unfortunately, 2013 should not be considered an off year, making it critical that state legislators in Annapolis continue to hear from you and continue to feel the pressure to represent you rather than Michael Bloomberg’s checkbook. From this point on, 2014 is a race to Election Day, and every day counts.
The following legislation has been filed to date:
House Bill 22 - sponsored by Delegate Frank Conaway (D-40), HB 22 would prohibit Baltimore City from adopting an ordinance that eliminates or limits a specified common law requirement that a person retreat from an attack.
House Bill 36 – sponsored by Delegate Michael Smigiel (R-36), HB 36 seeks to remove, “good and substantial reason” from the requirements needed for issuance of a handgun permit to a person.
House Bill 42 – sponsored by Delegate Jon Cardin (D-11), HB 42 would remove the "eighth day transfer." It prohibits a licensed firearm dealer or other person, notwithstanding a specified provision of law, from selling, renting, or transferring a regulated firearm to a firearm applicant until the licensee or other person has received notice from the Secretary of State Police that the applicant's firearm application has been approved.
House Bill 60 – sponsored by Delegate Michael Smigiel (R-36), HB 60 seeks to repeal the “Firearm Safety Act of 2013” (SB 281).
House Bill 62 – sponsored by Delegate Michael Smigiel (R-36), HB 62 specifies that a license issued in Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia to an individual to carry a regulated firearm, including a concealed regulated firearm, is valid in Maryland.
House Bill 67 – sponsored by Delegate Frank Conaway (D-40), HB 67 establishes that a person charged with a crime may assert the defense of self-defense only under certain circumstances that negate the duty to attempt to retreat or escape the danger; and generally relates to the duty to retreat when attacked.
Your NRA-ILA will continue to keep you informed as these bills progress throughout the 2014 Maryland legislative session.
Please save the date -- Tuesday, February 4 -- to join the NRA, MSI, AGC, MSRPA, MLFDA, and the Western Maryland Sportsman’s Coalition in attendance of the Maryland 2A-Tuesday Rally and Lobby day in Annapolis. More information on this event will be provided in future alerts.
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