On Monday, September 23, at 1:00 p.m., the Maryland General Assembly Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive & Legislative Review (AELR) will hold a hearing to review emergency regulations proposed by the Maryland State Police (MSP) to implement the provisions of Senate Bill 281. This hearing will take place in the joint hearing room in the Department of Legislative Services building in Annapolis.
Currently, the regulations are not available for public review, but they will be published in the Maryland Register on Friday, September 20. Members are urged to review these proposed regulations and then attend the public hearing on September 23 to voice opposition to the proposed anti-gun regulations. While the specifics of the regulations are not yet available, information obtained by the NRA-ILA indicates that they may include a requirement to complete a live-fire exercise prior to purchase of a handgun and various other affronts to your Second Amendment rights.
Although SB 281 was signed into law by anti-gun Governor Martin O’Malley (D) months ago, the MSP are only now taking the necessary steps to implement this new law. Given that this sweeping anti-gun legislation will take effect on October 1, 2013, it is not unreasonable to expect that the MSP will be unable to process the applications required for the new Handgun Qualification License (which will be now be required to take possession of a handgun) or be able to implement other aspects of SB 281 relating to the purchase and transfer of firearms in Maryland, greatly inhibiting your Right to Keep and Bear Arms.
Information on how to sign up for public testimony at the hearing on September 23 will be available here within the next few days. Please keep in mind testimony at this hearing will be strictly limited to the content of the regulations themselves, not SB 281 itself.
If you are able, please attend a gathering of Second Amendment supporters at 11:00 a.m. on Lawyers’ Mall in Annapolis before this public hearing. Pro-gun state legislators and activists will provide updates and information at this event on the continuing fight for your rights in Maryland.
Your NRA-ILA will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available.
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