Associated Gun Clubs of Baltimore, Inc. 
Legislative Office 

P.O. Box 20102      Towson, MD 21284-0102  
Office: 410-296-3947     Email: [email protected] 
AGC Legislative Report
January 11, 2016
Maryland General Assembly
2016 Session Report
New In This Issue
________________________

Links to Bills 
by Subject on MGA Website 
 
_____________________________

  John H. Josselyn
  Legislative Vice President
  P.O.  Box 20102
  Towson, MD  21284-0102
  Legislative Office:   
  410-296-3947

With the New Year comes a new Session of the Maryland General Assembly.

The 2016 Session of the Maryland General Assembly convenes at Noon on Wednesday, January 13, 2016 and will not adjourn until April 11, 2016.

Click here for the 2016 Session Schedule.

Best regards,

 

John H. Josselyn

Legislative Vice President 

2A Tuesday Rally - February 2, 2016 

The 2A Rally will begin on Lawyer's Mall in Annapolis at 10:00 AM and continue until Noon.

In the event of snow, we will follow the lead of the Anne Arundel County school system. If the AACo schools are closed on Tuesday, the rally will be cancelled.

The final details are still being ironed out. Please watch for more detailed information in the near future.

Make your visits to legislators more effective and efficient by having "personal business cards" printed. Be sure to include your full name, home address, phone number, email address and your legislative district. Avoid such things as "from my cold dead fingers" on your cards. Remember, you are 2A Ambassadors; conduct yourselves according, be professional, respectful and courteous at all times.

AGC Legislative Website Updates 
 
All of the links and files on the AGC's Legislative webpage have been updated for the 2016 Session. As always, we ask that you report any broken links.

Many of the links on the AGC Legislative webpage can also be found in the AGC Legislative Links section in the column to the left.

New links to videos on how to use the Maryland General Assembly website and a pdf user guide have been added. These videos are user friendly and greatly simplify learning to navigate the MGA website.

AGC Legislative Email System - Expanded Coverage

In recent months, both the Baltimore City Council and the Baltimore County Council have become involved in the gun control issue.

Accordingly, the AGC Legislative Email Your Legislators System has been expanded to include the members of both the Baltimore City Council and the Baltimore County Council. The function of the system is identical to the system for the Maryland General Assembly.

As always, keep your emails professional, courteous and respectful.
Pre-filed Gun Bills
 
As of this writing, five gun and hunting related bills have been pre-filed.

Given the amount of media attention the President's Executive Orders are receiving, it is logical to expect that this Session will see a good number of gun related bills, both anti-gun and pro-gun.

Senator Karen Montgomery D-14 Resigns
Senator Karen Montgomery a long serving Democrat from District 14 in Montgomery County resigned her position effective January 1, 2016. A member of the Maryland General Assembly since 2003, Senator Montgomery was no friend of the 2nd Amendment.

Delegate Craig Zucker appears to be the expected choice to replace Senator Montgomery. As with Senator Montgomery, Delegate Zucker has not been
supportive of the 2nd Amendment, nor is it likely that his replacement in the House of Delegates will be inclined to support our rights.

The bottom line is status quo in the 14th District. 
Sun Editor Fears Law-abiding Carry Permit Holders More Than Armed Felons
 
In a recent op-ed piece, Tricia Bishop, the deputy editorial page editor of the Baltimore Sun opined that she is more afraid of armed law-abiding citizens with carry permits than armed felons.

Her solution is a public access searchable database to identify law-abiding gun owners. She also believes it will enable her to know if a neighbor owns a firearm, so she can keep her child from visiting the neighbor's house.

Perhaps Ms. Bishop would be willing to demonstrate her sincerity by placing a sign like the one shown here as a means to show her neighbors and visiting felons alike that her home is gun free and safe to enter.

Back in the 1990's, a member of Mt. Washington Rod & Gun Club designed and paid for vinyl window stickers similar to the image above. She offered them to the gun control advocates in Annapolis. It was free provided the person was willing to sign a hold harmless agreement protecting the donor from civil liability should the sign result in a burglary or home invasion. During the entire session, she was unable to give away a single window sticker. 
Handgun Permit Review Board
 
The members of the Handgun Permit Review Board are required by the Maryland Constitution to take the following oath:

ARTICLE I
ELECTIVE FRANCHISE.
 
SEC. 9. Every person elected, or appointed, to any office of profit or trust, under this Constitution, or under the Laws, made pursuant thereto, shall, before he enters upon the duties of such office, take and subscribe the following oath, or affirmation: I, _______________, do swear, (or affirm, as the case may be,) that I will support the Constitution of the United States; and that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the State of Maryland, and support the Constitution and Laws thereof; and that I will, to the best of my skill and judgment, diligently and faithfully, without partiality or prejudice, execute the office of________________, according to the Constitution and Laws of this State, (and, if a Governor, Senator, Member of the House of Delegates, or Judge,) that I will not directly or indirectly, receive the profits or any part of the profits of any other office during the term of my acting as ___________originally Article I, sec. 6, renumbered by Chapter 681, Acts of 1977, ratified Nov. 7, 1978).
 

In recent months certain individuals have used an internet forum to openly criticize several of our members who have volunteered to serve without pay on the Maryland Handgun Permit Review Board. (HPRB)

These individuals who feel free to disparage the character of the HPRB members apparently believe that taking an oath means nothing, which calls into question their own personal character and ethics. 

Maryland law has not changed and the members of the Handgun Permit Review Board do not have the authority to change or ignore the law, no matter how strong there personal beliefs might be regarding the Second Amendment.

Perhaps, instead of offering criticism, those who are not satisfied might consider submitting an application to serve on the HPRB. We are all in this together and throwing stones at fellow gun owners accomplishes nothing.

If you are a "stone thrower" and you are not willing to offer your services on the HPRB, and truly believe you must continue to throw stones to advance your cause, please have the courage and decency to use your real name and not hide behind an internet forum moniker.
AGC Legislative Report
January 11, 2016