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Maryland Assault Weapons Ban of 2007
Senate: Judicial Proceedings
An AW ban bill was introduced last year (2006) as HB948 with 37 sponsors, in 2005 as HB948 with 68 sponsors and in 2004 as as HB1298 with 71 sponsors. In some of these prior years, the bill was cross-filed in the senate. A graphic cartoon shows early sponsors here (scan down the page).
The bill defines assault weapons to include assault long guns, assault pistols, and copycat weapons. The bill defines copycat weapons to include semi-automatic centerfire rifles with certain characteristics, semi-automatic pistols with certain characteristics and semi-automatic shotguns with certain characteristics.
The bill requires the HANDGUN ROSTER BOARD to COMPILE AND MAINTAIN A ROSTER OF
PROHIBITED ASSAULT WEAPONS and to publish the list BEGINNING NOT LATER THAN JULY 1, 2008 in the Maryland register. Unfortunately, to legally keep a banned assault weapon, the bill requires it to be registered with the Maryland State Police before DECEMBER 1, 2007!
The bill makes it a misdemeanor to transport an assault weapon into the State or to possess, sell, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, or receive an assault weapon; making it a misdemeanor to possess an assault weapon and to provide manditory minimum sentences and enhancements for using an assault weapon in the commission of a felony or crime of violence. The primary target of this bill is a ban on semi-automatic long guns since assault pistols have been previously banned.
The bill defines assault long guns to include (Partial List): AK-47 IN ALL FORMS; AR 100 TYPE SEMI-AUTO; AR 180 TYPE SEMI-AUTO; BUSHMASTER SEMI-AUTO RIFLE; COLT AR-15, CAR-15, AND ALL IMITATIONS EXCEPT COLT AR-15 SPORTER H-BAR RIFLE; SKS WITH DETACHABLE MAGAZINE; SPRINGFIELD ARMORY BM-59, SAR-48, G3, SAR-3, M-21 SNIPER RIFLE, M1A, EXCLUDING THE M1 GARAND; Ruger mini-14 folding stock model (.223 caliber); any semi-automatic, centerfire rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and any of 1) pistol grip, thumbhole stock, folding or telescoping stock, granade launcher or flair launcher, flash suppressor, or forward pistol grip. [some commercial versions of SKS rifles]; any semi-automatic, centerfire rifle with a fixed magazine of more than 10 rounds; any semi-automatic rifle with a overall length less than 30 inches.
The bill defines as a copycat weapon any semi-automatic rifle that can accept a detachable magazine and any of: a pistol grip, a thumbhold or telescoping stock, a grenade launcher or flare launcher, a flash suppressor, or a forward pistol grip. That definition includes most semi-automatic rifles which "can accept" these items.
Additionally, the bill defines as an assault (copycat) weapon any semi-automatic pistol that can accept a detachable magazine and any of: a threaded barrel capable of accepting a flash hider or silencer; a second handgrip; a shroud that encircles the barrel (except for a slide); a detachable magazine outside of the pistol grip. That definition includes most semi-automatic pistols since they can accept a threaded barrel, etc.
The bill defines as an assault weapon any semi-automatic shotgun that has both of: a pistol grip, thumbhole stock, or vertical handgrip; a folding or telescoping stock or has a revolving cylinder.
The bill allows grandfathering of assault long guns or copycat weapons already possessed before 10/1/07 provided they are registered before 12/1/07. However, the bill is poorly written and there is a catch. Assault weapon is defined to include assault long guns. And the bill requires registering assault weapons prior to 8/1/1994 (something impossible for a rifle bought this year, for example). This provision establishes a conflict with the other provision requiring registration of assault long guns. Be aware that we do not want to help the grabbers perfect their bills.
The bill introduces more severe penalties for simple robbery using an assault long gun than Maryland imposes on some murderers and rapists (see Talking Points 2). Since homeowners have been charged with assault (a crime of violence) from just pointing a gun at an intruder in Maryland, the primary use of these penalties is intimidation to force acceptance of a plea to avoid the risk of more jail time than given to Maryland murderers typically. This bill will render these guns as being useless to the law-abiding citizen. Given the threat of these draconian sentences, the only prudent self-defense firearms would be ones clearly not assault weapons such as revolvers or double barrel shotguns.
A summary of proponent arguments for banning long guns endorsed by Maryland Democrats in 2004 is presented here.
Sponsored By: Senators Lenett, Britt, Conway, Currie, Exum, Forehand, Frosh, Garagiola, Gladden, Jones, Kelley, Kramer, Madaleno, McFadden, Muse, Pinsky, Pugh, Raskin, Robey, Rosapepe, and Zirkin
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Talking Points One,
Two
or Three
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