Maryland Shall Issue – Week 1 Legislative Update

Maryland -(AmmoLand.com)- The first week of the 436^th Maryland General Assembly is done and only 86 days to go as of this report. So, how did the first week go?

So far not bad! MSI and our partners from the NRA, The Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore (AGC) and the Maryland State Rifle and Pistol Association (MSRPA) have held meeting with individual Senators and Delegates as well as with several groups to talk about future legislation we would like to see as well as work on. While we understand that the elected officials in Annapolis need to answer to their constituents, we are trying to work together to reduce the number of bills the organizations have to advocate on as well as reduce the number of duplicate bills.

We know that there are going to bills submitted that will work to restrict more of our rights, which we will have to focus on and work against. Having good bills that expand our rights will helps us advocate more efficiently for our members and give all of us a better chance at having a bill or two that might gain some traction, over submitting feel good bills just for the purpose of “waving the flag” or showing Maryland citizens that we are doing something. This week there are only three bills so far, but we expect more bills to come as we move on through the session. For a quick rundown of this weeks bills, we have started a 2016 Bills of Interest thread on MSI’s forums; https://www.marylandshallissue.org/jmain/forum/public-forum/396-2016-bills-of-interest

So far, all three bills appear to favor things we would like to see: fingerprint retention, a fee reduction for the HQL, and longer records retention for meeting minutes under the Open Meetings Act, but we still have to look at the bills before we take any position on them. But let’s not fool ourselves, the session is still early and there are some things on the horizon that may come up. Examples include, using the Federal terror watch list as a prohibitor from purchasing and owning firearms in Maryland, making black powder and antique weapons prohibited for felons, an excise tax statewide on firearms and ammo to pay for body cameras in Baltimore City, as well as repeats of other bills we have seen in the past.

Please plan to attend The 2A Tuesday Legislative Lobbying Day on Tuesday, February 2, 2016 and help us help you, by talking to your elected officials about the bills listed by then, and what they can do to support your opinion on firearms rights and your right to personal protection in the State of Maryland. When you come out for 2A Tuesday, bring a few neighbors and a few friends, if you have never talked to your elected officials or concerned you don’t know how to start the conversation, this is the chance to do just that and have someone that has already done so, show you the ropes.

We will be posting the 2A Tuesday schedule as we get it finalized, but the two most important things, the rally, and the elected officials meet and greet, are set. The rally will be from 10:00 AM – Noon in Lawyers Mall and the elected officials meet and greet will be from Noon to 1:00 PM. We recommend that you contact your elected officials and make an appointment to see them and then let folks in your district know you have done so.

If yo have any question about legislation, 2A Tuesday, or how you can help with 2A Tuesday, please contact us at [email protected] and we will respond to your questions.

Until next week.

Dan Blasberg
President

Mission Statement: Maryland Shall Issue is an all volunteer, non-partisan effort dedicated to the preservation and advancement of all gunowners’ rights in Maryland, with a primary goal of CCW reform to allow all law-abiding citizens the right to carry a concealed weapon; and to the education of the community to the awareness that ‘shall issue’ laws have, in all cases, resulted in decreased rates of violent crime. Marylandshallissue.com.