Legislation - Second Amendment Sisters

"A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law."
-- Justice John Marshall

See an overview below of important bills in the Maryland 2010 legislative session!

QUICK REVIEW OF KEY BILLS HERE.

Most (but not all!) bills are at these links:
SELF-DEFENSE * GUNS * Weapons * HUNTING

VIDEO: The British want their guns back!

New! Watch for questionnaires in doctors' offices that ask about guns in the home. You are not required by law to report this information. Also, there is no law requiring that ammunition purchasers record private information in logs. Both of these infringements are ways to desensitize law-abiding citizens to gradual loss of their rights, as well as being carefully orchestrated steps in an agenda advocated by the disarmament community.

ALERT: Effective August 1, 2007, the state police require access to individuals' private medical records prior to any regulated firearm purchase (includes all handguns) without any supporting law. The Maryland State Police state, "If the MSP Form 774-3 is not submitted with the application it will not be processed and the application will be administratively disapproved." Find the form at:
http://www.mdsp.org/downloads/77R-3.pdf
To read the HIPAA policy on medical records privacy, see:
http://www.hhs.gov/ocr/hipaa/privacy.html

Crime Statistics
FBI National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS)
FBI Research Resources, including Crime Statistics
FBI Uniform Crime Reports
FBI Preliminary Semiannual Uniform Crime Report for 2009, released December 21, 2009

More than 20,000 laws restricting firearms already exist in the U.S., and most of them are ineffective, waste resources, and only succeed in turning more law-abiding citizens into criminals with the stroke of a pen. Thanks to MCSM's Bob Culver this a link to a Harvard Journal of Law & Public Policy article that "Confirms that Reducing Gun Ownership by Law-Abiding Citizens Does Nothing to Reduce Violence."

Please testify and/or offer written testimony in Annapolis, or contact your legislators if you are unable to attend.

written testimony: HOUSE - Submit 35 copies by 11:00 AM; senate - SUBMIT 20 COPIES by noon.

MORE INFORMATION: Find current Maryland legislative information at NRA-ILA. Details about Maryland concealed carry permits and related legislation are located at Maryland Shall Issue. Extensive Maryland legislative resources are located at AGC Legislation.

2010 Session Key Bills
Special thanks to AGC for descriptive information regarding 2010 bills.

Contact your state legislators TODAY via snailmail (preferred), phone, fax, or email!

"The bias in professional journalism against the Second Amendment is alarming, and if it does not concern newsmen and their editors, it should."
--Dave Workman, Examiner

SAS SUPPORTS

Overview: SAS supports bills that reflect our natural right to keep and bear arms for self-defense as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. To "bear" means to carry on one's person. We think of mothers who must travel alone at night for family emergencies, especially on isolated roads and in high crime areas, as well as nurses and other workers who must be out late at night because of their jobs. And if someone enters our home or place of business for the purpose of committing a criminal act, we should be free to defend ourselves, knowing that if a criminal is hurt or killed, we will not become subject to a civil lawsuit. It is our right to keep and bear arms, and illegal acts by government officials should not be tolerated by anyone who has sworn to uphold the U.S. Constitution.

SB 411, Defense of Dwelling or Place of Business - Civil Immunity, was signed into law May 20, 2010 and becomes effective on October 1, 2010. Civil immunity strengthens castle doctrine by providing that a person is not liable for damages for a personal injury or death of an individual who enters the person's dwelling or place of business with the intent to commit certain crimes. Similar bills had passed unanimously in the House for many years, but stalled in the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee through Senator Frosh’s use of the “desk drawer veto,” where he single-handedly prevented the bills from coming to the floor for a vote. Sponsors included Senators Middleton, Astle, Brinkley, Colburn, DeGrange, Della, Edwards, Garagiola, Glassman, Jacobs, Kasemeyer, Kittleman, Klausmeier, Mooney, Munson, Peters, Raskin, Stone, Brochin, Forehand, Haines, and Simonaire. A special thanks goes out to Senator Jacobs for rallying Maryland women to support civil immunity.

HB 905, Criminal Law - Prohibitions on Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting Firearms – Exceptions, was initiated to remedy a situation that arose in Prince George’s County. An individual was on his way to surrender his firearms due to a court order, and was stopped en route by police. Sponsors included Delegates Valderrama, Anderson, Carter, Dumais, Rosenberg, Schuler, Simmons, Smigiel, and Waldstreicher. Sen. Muse sponsored a similar bill in the Senate.

SB 842, Regulated Firearms – License Issued by Another State to Current or Former Member of the Armed Forces – Reciprocity, failed. Sponsors included Senators Kittleman, Astle, and Jacobs.

HB 52, Regulated Firearms - License Issued by Delaware, Pennsylvania, or Virginia – Reciprocity, received an unfavorable vote. It was sponsored by Delegate Smigiel.

HB 683, Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Repeal of Finding Requirement. This essential bill would have repealed the requirement that the Secretary of State Police find that a person has a “good and substantial reason” to wear, carry, or transport a handgun other than to protect money and valuables before issuing a handgun permit to the person. Current law does not recognize our basic human right to defend ourselves. The bill failed due to no action in committee. Sponsors included Delegates Riley, James, Aumann, Bartlett, Bates, Beitzel, Boteler, Bromwell, Costa, Dwyer, Elliott, Elmore, Frank, George, Haddaway, Impallaria, Jennings, Kach, Kelly, Kipke, Krebs, Kullen, Malone, Mathias, McComas, McConkey, Miller, Minnick, Myers, Norman, O'Donnell, Rudolph, Schuh, Shewell, Smigiel, Stocksdale, Stull, Weir, and Wood.

SAS OPPOSES

Overview: SAS opposes any bill that infringes on our natural right to keep and bear arms for self-defense as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. We oppose all "cookie cutter justice" legislation that rigidly applies law without providing judges discretion to act reasonably based on the facts of a given case or that do not provide a remedy for reclaiming private property or its value. Many "surrender of firearms" bills fall in this category. Further, the National Academy of Sciences and Centers for Disease Control both found that no research has demonstrated that gun control laws reduced crime.

The most onerous bill of the session was the brainchild of Senator Frosh and Delegate Rosenberg. SB 645 & HB 820, the Firearm Safety Act of 2010, was not about safety, despite the politically correct title. It received an unfavorable vote in committee. The sole purpose of these bills was to discourage the ownership of handguns by increasing the cost, encroaching on citizens’ right to privacy, establishing a series of hurdles that citizens would be forced to negotiate, providing the Maryland State Police (MSP) with more ways to deny a handgun purchase, and enabling the MSP to build a database of rifle and shotgun owners via dealer records, thus extending gun registration. Both the CDC and National Academies of Science have found such laws make no difference in crime rates. Further, such registration has historically preceded all citizen disarmament actions, and clearly is not supported by the second amendment. The bill died in committee. Thank you, committee members, for recognizing the egregious nature of this bill.

SB 516, the Maryland Assault Weapons Ban of 2010, was withdrawn. Reminiscent of the Clinton-era ban on firearms based on cosmetic features, it also would have extended the power of the appointed Handgun Roster Board. Sponsors included Senators Lenett, Conway, Currie, Exum, Frosh, Harrington, Jones, Kelley, King, Madaleno, McFadden, Pinsky, Pugh, Raskin, and Rosapepe.

Senate Bill 191, Weapon-Free Higher Education Zones, received an unfavorable vote in committee. This bill would have extended the infamous “gun-free zones” to public institutions of higher education. It is well-documented that such zones actually attract criminals who know their victims will have no means of self-defense. Sponsors included Senators Lenett, Currie, Forehand, Frosh, Garagiola, Gladden, Harrington, Jones, Kasemeyer, Kelley, King, Madaleno, McFadden, Miller, Muse, Peters, Pinsky, Pugh, Raskin, Robey, Rosapepe, and Zirkin.

"Arms discourage and keep the invader and plunderer in awe, and preserve order
in the world as well as property... Horrid mischief would ensue were the
law-abiding deprived of the use of them." --Thomas Paine

Directions to Annapolis senate and house locations: The state buildings are easily accessible by shuttle from the Navy Marine Corp Memorial Stadium at 550 Taylor Avenue, Annapolis, Maryland (also accessible via public transportation). From Route 50, take exit 24, Rowe Blvd., South towards Annapolis and the stadium. Go straight to the 2nd light (pass the stadium on your right) and take the first right, Taylor Avenue. Turn right at Gate 5, the 5th driveway on the right (you'll see a ticket booth). Parking is $5 for the entire day (please have exact change ready as you enter) and shuttles run frequently. The shuttle driver can direct you to the senate or house buildings at the "Lawyers Mall" stop on College St. The entrances are on Bladen Street (facing away from Lawyers Mall courtyard down Bladen Street) on the left for the senate and the right for the house. Food is available, but it's a bit of a walk (especially at the house) - and the eateries are very crowded at the lunch hour plan ahead!). Babies and citizens of all ages are welcome, so please bring them! GOOGLE MAP

Public Transportation (information on trains, subway, and buses). QUESTIONS?

Don't know who your legislators are? Use a map: http://mdelect.net/electedofficials, or the General Assembly listings at http://mlis.state.md.us/, or call 410-841-3000. Search for a bill by number here. Civil Action email system here (BE RESPECTFUL!).

"The only remedy for a bad guy with a gun is a good guy with a gun."
--SD Rep. Thomas Brunner

SAS joined the Southeastern Legal Foundation in an amicus brief in DC v. Heller (Supreme Court hearing on DC gun ban) on behalf of women, the elderly, and the disabled! See all amicus briefs in favor of Heller's right to self defense here! The SCOTUS wiki on DC v. Heller is available here.

"A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law." -- Justice John Marshall

"A legislative act contrary to the Constitution is not law."
-- Justice John Marshall