Posted on 05/16/23
| News Source: WMAR2NEWS
The National Rifle Association Institute for Legislative Action is suing the state of Maryland after Governor Wes Moore on Tuesday signed a pair of gun control bills into law.
"The new bill signed into law vastly expand the number of places where carry is prohibited — even for those who have carry permits," the NRA said in a press release.
Although the organization didn't specify which law, Senate Bill 1 carries tight restrictions on where citizens can possess a gun in public even with a valid carrier permit.
The following are places prohibited in the legislation.
The bill also places restrictions on carrying on privately owned property.
Then there is House Bill 824 which modifies qualifications for obtaining a handgun permit.
Here are some of the newly implemented requirements to get a permit.
The bill also modifies and expands laws for those leaving a gun accessible to an unsupervised child younger than age 16.
This legislation was passed after the U.S. Supreme Courtruled last summer that "proper cause" was not required when applying for a concealed carry permit.
"Until recently, Maryland laws were so restrictive that less than .19 percent of residents were approved for a permit to carry each year," said the NRA. "After the Supreme Court affirmed that the individual right to carry a firearm outside the home for self-defense is protected under the Second Amendment, Maryland deceitfully responded by amending its laws concocting a scheme where law-abiding Marylanders will not be able legally carry anywhere in the state."
We've reached out to the state for comment, and are awaiting to hear back.
Meanwhile State Senate Republicans had urged Moore to veto the bill. They released this statement in response to his signing them into law.
“SB 1 and HB 824 are not public safety solutions – in fact, they are just the opposite. SB 1 and HB 824 will do nothing to reduce gun crime or remove illegal guns from our communities.
Governor Moore and Democratic Leadership are severely limiting the ability of law-abiding citizens to legally carry a firearm to protect themselves and their families. As violent and juvenile crime continues to surge throughout Maryland, the General Assembly’s gerrymandered Democratic supermajority continues to ignore commonsense legislation that targets repeat, violent offenders and establishes stronger consequences for those who steal handguns and commit crimes with guns.
These bills also are a clear and significant violation of Marylanders’ Constitutional rights and will be immediately challenged in court. On April 21st, our caucus sent a letter to Governor Moore encouraging him to veto both of these bills to save Marylanders the expense of defending these unconstitutional bills in court, but those arguments fell on deaf ears.
Targeting lawful gun owners who legally and responsibly exercise their Constitutional rights is not an effective public safety strategy, and we look forward to these extreme laws being overturned.”