Rally to Prevent Gun Violence in Annapolis

March 1, 2013 - Annapolis Maryland. A rally organized on Lawyers Mall in the state capital by Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence was organized for thr supporters of SB281 Firearm Safety Act of 2013. This bill was introduced at the encouragement of Governor Martin O'Malley.

This bill will:
 
1. Require a license to purchase a handgun with appropriate age restrictions, mandatory safety training and fingerprinting, in addition to the current background check done by the Maryland State Police.  Research indicates that a license-to-purchase requirement is associated with significantly lower levels of intrastate gun trafficking. A license to purchase would not be required for hunting rifles and shotguns.
Seven states now require fingerprinting before a firearm purchase: California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, and New York.
Feb. 20, 2013 poll shows that 81% of Maryland voters support the licensing of purchase of handguns. Read more.

2. Limit Magazine Capacity to 10 Rounds.  Maryland currently allows up to 20 rounds per magazine.  The proposed legislation would reduce the allowable magazine capacity from 20 rounds to 10.

3. Ban Military-Style Assault Weapons designed to kill and inflict the maximum amount of human carnage.  Maryland currently bans only 15 enumerated assault pistols, but allows for the sale and possession of high-capacity, military weapons designed to kill.  MPGV supports efforts to ban these assault weapons that are designed for the battlefield and have no place in our society.
4. Provide the Maryland State Police with the authority to regulate firearm dealers and require that a licensed dealer keep records of all receipts, sales, and other dispositions of firearms affected in connection with the dealer’s business.

The rally was put together by organizer Vincent (bka "Vinny") DeMarco is a long time advocate for public health causes including reducing teen smoking and gun violence and expanding health care access.

 

Gun Violence Prevention in Maryland

On January 14, 2013 Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley announced at a Johns Hopkins Gun Violence Summit with New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg a new comprehensive gun violence prevention legislative package for Maryland.


Anyone wishing to purchase a handgun first be required to obtain a license to purchase the weapon from the state police.

Proponants of this legislation suggest this is the best way to reduce gun violence because it will substantially reduce "straw purchases," which occurr when people who are prohibited from owning weapons get someone without a criminal record to purchase the gun for them. Straw purchases are the most common way that guns end up in the hands of people who use them to kill other people.

The complete list of goals to prevent gun violence in Maryland are:

• Requiring a license to purchase a hand gun
• Banning assult weapons designed to kill and inflict maximum carnage
• Limiting magazine capacity to 10 rounds per magazine
• Providing the State Police authority to regulate gun dealers for illegal activity

These are common sense measures that will not infringe on the rights of law-abiding citizens, or sportsmen that use hunting rifles or shotguns. These are responsible measures to take military-style weapons off of our streets and reign in the sale of hand guns by "straw purchasers" just before they are used in a crime.

Join Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence and tell lawmakers in Annapolis to support the Firearms Safety Act of 2013 (SB 281/HB 294), which includes common-sense measures to reduce gun violence like licensing handgun purchasers and banning assault weapons and high capacity gun magazines.  We know that states with responsible gun laws have lower gun violence death rates, so tell your legislator that you support meaningful reforms to Maryland’s laws to reduce gun violence.    

Write to your State Senators and Delegates now to strongly urge them to support Governor Martin O'Malley's life-saving gun violence prevention legislation, SB 281 and HB 294, particularly requiring the licensing of handgun purchasers and banning assault weapons and high capacity gun magazines, along with Senator Brian Frosh's legislation to better regulate gun dealers, SB 266.  

You can do this easily by going to our website, www.marylanderstopreventgunviolence.org.  Please do your best to attend one or more of the community forums on gun violence being sponsored over the next couple of weeks by Lt. Governor Anthony Brown and Attorney General Doug Gansler.  Flyers for these events are attached and on our website. -- I will be representing Marylanders To Prevent Gun Violence on the panel at these events. 

Finally, please attend if you can the hearing on the Senate gun violence prevention bills on Wednesday, February 6 at 1pm at the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in Annapolis.

According to The Baltimore Sun, the NRA is already holding meetings with lawmakers to discuss their strategy to defeat this legislation, using fear and misinformation to intimidate members of the Maryland General Assembly. 

Please help make Maryland safer