Charles County Considers Carry Ban
On January 11th, 2023 in a session that begins at 6:00 pm, the Charles County Commissioners will hear public testimony on Bill 2022-14, which among other things, would ban the possession of firearms within 100 yards of “a building owned or operated by Charles County government or the Board of Charles County,” even for carry permit holders.
The only exceptions are for:
-An active sworn law enforcement officer
-A special police officer employed by Charles County Government with a valid government issued permit to carry a weapon or firearm
-Active duty military personnel engaged in the performance of their official employment duties
-A member of the Board of Charles county commissioners.
Testimony can be submitted in person or virtually. We strongly encourage Charles County residents to testify in opposition to this misguided legislation. MD Wear and Carry permits are “not valid where firearms are prohibited by law” and thus carrying in violation of this county ordinance likewise creates a risk for prosecution under MD Code, Criminal Law, § 4-203. While a violation of the proposed ordinance would be punishable by up to one year imprisonment or a fine of $1,000, a violation of Section 4-203 is punishable by up to three years in prison, and therefore any conviction under Section 4-203 would create a lifetime disqualification under State and federal law. That would be true regardless of the actual sentence. Further information on how to submit testimony can be found HERE. Written testimony can be submitted starting 12/23/22 til 5:00 pm on 1/11/23. The agenda for that hearing can be found HERE.
Montgomery County Update
MSI moved for a Temporary Restraining Order and Preliminary Injunction against the enforcement of the County’s ‘Bruen response’ restrictions placed into law by Bill 21-22E. Montgomery County’s due date for a response is December 30th, and our reply is due January 9th. During this time the County restrictions on carry by permit holders remain in full effect, and the County has told the federal district court that the County intends to enforce this new ordinance. Permit holders are effectively barred from carrying a handgun in the County. As our motion for a TRO and a preliminary injunction explains, that is so because it is nearly impossible to move about in the County without entering one or more of the 100-yard exclusion zones enacted by Bill 21-22E.
Stay tuned for further developments.
Maryland General Assembly Starts 1/11/23 at Noon
It’s nearly that time of year again. The 90-day legislative session of the Maryland General Assembly is less than a month away, starting on January 11th at Noon. We’ve already prepared our Bill Tracker and will be entering bill information as soon as they’re made available. If you head over to its “Legislators” tab, you’ll find some newly-elected representatives as the results of the 2022 election have been fully certified.
This session is already shaping up to be extremely hostile towards Marylanders’ rights to keep and bear arms. Some key lawmakers in leadership positions have not been shy about their disdain for the US Supreme Court’s opinion in Bruen, which held that the Second Amendment protects the right to carry in public. That right was respected by 43 States (and DC) prior to Bruen, but these Maryland legislators apparently think that permit holders in Maryland cannot be trusted to carry responsibly, unlike the residents of these other States. Senators Smith and Waldstreicher were recently featured in an MD Daily Record article on plans to introduce more gun control bills and mentioned that they are keeping a close eye on developments from Montgomery County and around the country.
In the article, MSI President, Mark Pennak, is quoted as saying:
“there are no historical analogs for restricting gun restriction beyond legislative assemblies, polling places, courthouses, schools and government buildings.” He is also correctly quoted as saying that “all they [legislators] are going to do is buy themselves more litigation” and “enrich Maryland Shall Issue with attorney’s fees” when we prevail in a court challenge.
We hope the legislators will think twice before they further criminalize Marylanders’ abilities to protect themselves, but the writing is on the wall. Other groups have already outlined some of their priorities and we fully expect even more attempts to make lawful gun ownership more burdensome and out of reach for law-abiding Marylanders.
MSI will be there to support, defend, and promote your right to protect yourself. Read our guide on how to interact with the General Assembly, including how to find your legislators and how to testify. And don’t be a free rider. Litigation is not cheap. Joining MSI will help us defend your rights and help you keep informed.
January Membership Meeting
MSI members are welcome to join us at the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore on January 22nd at 1:30 pm for updates on our efforts and about our agenda for the 2023 General Assembly session. The meeting will be made available via Zoom to watch wherever you are. Attendance requires up-to-date membership with MSI, which can be renewed HERE.
Details in our calendar HERE.
Badge Renewal at the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore
If you’re a badge holder at the Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, 2023 badges are on sale now! More information can be found at https://agcrange.org/. Remember, if you’re an MSI member who has range badge, you must keep your MSI membership current for the badge to be valid. You can check your account status and renew your MSI membership at anytime HERE.
