MDGA Gun Bill Tracking

Status of 2014 Gun Bills. Will update as status changes.

*** Key for below ***
FAV: Voted Favorable without Amendment(s) - bill advances to chamber floor vote
FWA : Voted Favorable with Amendment(s) - bill advances to chamber floor vote
UNF: Voted Unfavorable - bill does not advance

HEAC: House Environmental Matters Committee
HJC: House Judiciary Committee
SEHEAC: Senate Education, Health and Environmental Affairs Committee
SJPC: Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee

--------------------------------------------- Cross Filed Bills ---------------------------------------
SB 164/HB 712 Sen Brochin/Del Smigiel Crimes - Use of a Firearm in the Commission of a Crime - Diminution Credits and Sentencing
SB 231/HB 262 Sen Edwards/Del Beitzel Bow Hunting - Possession of Handguns for Protection
* 2/10 FWA SEHEAC; 2/12 Passed Senate; Hearing in HJC 3/18
SB 584/HB 715 Sen Astle/Del Smigiel Public Safety - Handgun Identification Requirements - Repeal
SB 974/HB 659 Sen Jacobs/Del Szeliga Public Safety – Regulated Firearms – Transport Through State

--------------------------------------------- Senate Bills -------------------------------------------
SB 248 Sen Frosh Criminal Law - Use of Handgun in Crime of Violence or Felony - Statute of Limitations
* 3/6 FWA SJPC; 3/10 Passed Senate; Hearing in HJC 3/25
SB 283 Sen Jennings Public Safety - Handgun Permit Background Check - Armored Car Company Employees
* 3/3 FWA SJPC; 3/5 Passed Senate; Assigned to HJC
SB 353 Sen Manno Criminal Law - Deadly Weapons on School Property - Public and Private Schools
SB 728 Sen Jacobs Public Safety - Licensed Firearms Dealers - Background Checks
SB 729 Sen Jacobs Public Safety - Permit to Carry, Wear, or Transport a Handgun - Qualifications
SB 731 Sen Jacobs Department of State Police - Firearms - Prohibition on Provision of Information
SB 758 Sen Jacobs Assault Weapons - Firearms Collector - Possession
SB 768 Sen Getty Regulated Firearms - License Issued by Another State - Reciprocity
* 3/3 WITHDRAWN
SB 966 Sen Dyson Calvert County, Charles County, and St. Mary’s County – Deer Hunting
* 3/14 FWA SEHEAC; 3/17 Passed Senate; Assigned to HEMC



--------------------------------------------- House Bills --------------------------------------------
HB 36 Del Smigiel Public Safety - Handgun Permit - Applicant Qualifications
HB 42 Del Cardin Public Safety - Firearms - Application Approval Before Sale, Rental, or Transfer
HB 60 Del Smigiel Repeal of the Firearm Safety Act of 2013 (Jointly assigned to JUD and HGO)
HB 62 Del Smigiel Rgltd Frarms-Lic Issued by Delaware, Pennsylvania, Virginia, or West Virginia - Reciprocity
HB 90 Del Simmons Regulated Firearms - Disqualifying Crime - Domestically Related Crime
HB 94 Del Arora Crim Law - Prohib on Manufacture of Detachable Magazine or Firearm Receiver - 3-D Printing
HB 115 Del Conaway Task Force to Study Firearms and Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) Devices
HB 122 Del K. Kelly Public Safety - Assault Weapons and Detachable Magazines - Possession or Transport by Nonresident
HB 214 Del Conaway Criminal Law – Self–Defense – Immunity for Use of Physical Force in Defense of Dwelling
* 2/10 UNF HJC
HB 215 Del Cluster Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Renewal Period for Retired Law Enforcement Officer
HB 262 Del Beitzel Bow Hunting - Possession of Handguns for Protection
HB 286 Del Valentino Criminal Law - Use of Handgun in Crime of Violence or Felony - Statute of Limitations
*. 3/13 FWA HJC; 3/14 Passed House
HB 415 Del Cardin Sales and Use Tax – Ammunition and Firearms – Developmental Disabilities Funding
HB 521 Del Haddaway Firearms - Handgun Permit Requirements - Handgun Qualification License Holders
HB 623 Del Simmons Public Safety - Crim Justice Information System - Integration With Md Automated Firearms System
HB 713 Del Smigiel Public Safety - Handgun Safety Devices - External Safety Locks
HB 716 Del Smigiel Public Safety - Handgun Qualification License - Qualified Handgun Instructors and Permit Holders
HB 717 Del Smigiel Public Safety - Firearms Safety Training - Demonstration Component
HB 719 Del Smigiel Public Safety - Firearms - Probation Before Judgment
HB 720 Del Smigiel Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Training Requirement
HB 759 Calvert Co Del Calvert County – Deer Hunting – Sundays
*. 3/15 FAV HEMC; 3/17 Passed House; Assigned to SEHEAC
HB 800 Del K. Kelly, Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Training Requirement for Renewal Applications
HB 818 Del Smigiel Regulated Firearms - Lic'd Dealer or Secon Seller - Natl Instant Crim Bkgd (NICS) Check
HB 919 Del K. Kelly Public Safety - Transport of Weapons on School Property - Retired Law Enforcement Officer
HB 934 Del Smigiel Firearms - Application for Prchs and Reqd Registr - Use of Term "Voluntary" Registrant Prohibited
HB 995 Del Dwyer Firearms Freedom Act
HB 997 Del Beitzel Criminal Law - Competition Shooting and Match Shooting - Firearms Exemption
HB 1005 Del Bromwell Firearms - Handgun Permit Requirements - Retired Military
HB 1185 Del Parrott Criminal Law – Self–Defense – Immunity for Use of Physical Force in Defense of Dwelling
* 3/14 UNF HJC
HB 1199 Del Clippinger Possession of Loaded Handgun or Regulated Firearm - Enhanced Penalties
HB 1356 Del Glass Bow Hunting - Possession of Handguns for Protection

Thank you SNI

HB 214 and HB 1185 were identical proposals, one sponsored by a D (Conaway), the other by a R (Parrott).

Here's the Committee votes for HB 214 (note the vote was for "favorable", so a yay was a vote for FAV): http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2014RS/votes_comm/hb0214_jud.pdf

Result 8-11, 2 absent (Rosenberg and Simmons): UNF

Here's the Committee votes for HB 1185 (note the vote was for "unfavorable", so a yea was a vote for UNF):
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2014RS/votes_comm/hb1185_jud.pdf

Result: 12-8; 1 absent (Arora out, Simmons voted this time Yea): UNF

Thanks. I don't see these on the schedule, or anything scheduled for the future. They are just making up the schedule as they meet?

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmSchedules.aspx?pid=schedpage&id=full-adde&stab=03&tab=subject2

TopShelf said:

Thanks. I don't see these on the schedule, or anything scheduled for the future. They are just making up the schedule as they meet?

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmSchedules.aspx?pid=schedpage&id=full-adde&stab=03&tab=subject2

Click to expand...

The committee chairs has complete discretion over what he/she wants to bring up for votes. They don't announce what is up for a vote until the committee sits down to a voting session.

Voting sessions are announced either the same day or the day before so committee members know when they need to be present. The list of bills to be voted on are distributed when they start voting.

The public is permitted to watch in silence but there is no advance notice given on what the planned bills to be voted or that there is even a voting session planned. There is no MDGA provided live stream during voting nor is it permitted by the public without the chairs express approval.

And that is some serious transparency in government right there.

ShallNotInfringe said:

The committee chairs has complete discretion over what he/she wants to bring up for votes. They don't announce what is up for a vote until the committee sits down to a voting session.

Voting sessions are announced either the same day or the day before so committee members know when they need to be present. The list of bills to be voted on are distributed when they sit down in the room.

Click to expand...

Thanks. I had found where some of the schedules are pre-announced. You are probably aware of that, but just in case:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/f...ge&id=full-cmte-20140313&stab=03&tab=subject2

I aded the links to the 2 bills you mentioned on the MD Elections 2014 thread. I am still trying to catch up and keep up on that one

TopShelf said:

Thanks. I had found where some of the schedules are pre-announced. You are probably aware of that, but just in case:

http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmSchedules.aspx?pid=schedpage&id=full-cmte-20140313&stab=03&tab=subject2

I aded the links to the 2 bills you mentioned on the MD Elections 2014 thread. I am still trying to catch up and keep up on that one

Click to expand...

Those are for hearings. Votes are typically separated from hearings and not held on the same day as a hearing on a particular bill. They usually take at least one day in between a hearing and a vote.

Just because a bill has a hearing, it could never be voted on. Even with compelling written and oral testimony because the committee chair is not interested in recording votes/positions or having a bill move forward.

Which is exactly what I believe will be the case in most of the gun bills. The chairs are cherry picking and ignoring them.

If they don't repeal the shell casing requirement (HB715)in light of compelling testimony and the fiscal/policy notes done by their own analysts in Annapolis.. its a thumb to the nose move and they don't believe we can influence the elections. If they don't pass this one, nothing will go in our favor at all. That's my bellwether bill.

If they pass HB623, the Simmons bill tying the databases, and nothing else... Next year is going to be brutal.

If they hold everything left to a no vote, they simply disregard us.

And we'll be needing to prove them wrong.

Ah, forgot about how the voting sessions worked.
Did remember about the discretion to "desk drawer" bills. IE - some bills will just never get a vote.
Agreed on the shell case bill. 623 wil also be interesting to see what happens. Soon enough we will know. I hold out hope that elections will improve the situation Either way, Frosh it out of Senate. Hopefully his replacement will not be as anti-gun

ShallNotInfringe said:

HB 214 and HB 1185 were identical proposals, one sponsored by a D (Conaway), the other by a R (Parrott).

Here's the Committee votes for HB 214 (note the vote was for "favorable", so a yay was a vote for FAV): http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2014RS/votes_comm/hb0214_jud.pdf

Result 8-11, 2 absent (Rosenberg and Simmons): UNF

Here's the Committee votes for HB 1185 (note the vote was for "unfavorable", so a yea was a vote for UNF):
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2014RS/votes_comm/hb1185_jud.pdf

Result: 12-8; 1 absent (Arora out, Simmons voted this time Yea): UNF

Click to expand...

This is really wierd. Between the favorable and unfavorable positions it looks like the members followed a partisan line on each bill, except for Conaway voting against it both times. But perhaps I misunderstand Annapolis reasoning.

Clovis said:

This is really wierd. Between the favorable and unfavorable positions it looks like the members followed a partisan line on each bill, except for Conaway voting against it both times. But perhaps I misunderstand Annapolis reasoning.

Click to expand...

Yep.

ShallNotInfringe said:

The weird part is only the votes on the bottom of the sheet changed...even though the motion was reversed.

Looks like the party line theory holds for most of them.

For example, Dumais voted yea both times. So she agreed with it when it was Conoway's and disagreed when it was Parrot's.

Same for the R's, except the reverse. Go figure.

The citizen testimony was nearly identical. The bills were identical. What's different?

Most interesting is Conaway voted against it both times. Gotta give the guy credit, at least he was consistent

Click to expand...

ShallNotInfringe said:

Yep.

Click to expand...

Ah...I hadn't read that thread today. Odd we were nearly word for word.

As to "desk drawer" bills, Walter Baker would do it on anti-gun bills for years and drove the libs completely nuts. They would finally word an anti-gun bill so it would be in another committee and could get a floor vote.

Clovis said:

As to "desk drawer" bills, Walter Baker would do it on anti-gun bills for years and drove the libs completely nuts. They would finally word an anti-gun bill so it would be in another committee and could get a floor vote.

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Lol. Sanity checks are good. At least we came to the same conclusions.

On Conaway, there are 10 Democrat candidates running in district 40 right now. Maybe the vote was allowed so that it can't be used against him? They had what they wanted with or without his vote, correct? Just a theory

Clovis said:

As to "desk drawer" bills, Walter Baker would do it on anti-gun bills for years and drove the libs completely nuts. They would finally word an anti-gun bill so it would be in another committee and could get a floor vote.

Click to expand...

A strategy the pro-gun group may want to try

Per Mike's facebook page. He says HB715 is sitting in a desk drawer.

Delegate Mike Smigiel
Another bill of mine sitting in a committee desk drawer is HB-715, which would repeal the spent shell casing requirement for new handgun sales. The system that is supposed to be cataloging these spent shell casings has been dismantled; it's people reassigned and it's equipment sold. The only purpose the requirement now serves is to hinder the exercise of a fundamental right, while all of the collected shell casings collect dust in a bin somewhere.

tsmith1499 said:

Per Mike's facebook page. He says HB715 is sitting in a desk drawer.

Delegate Mike Smigiel
Another bill of mine sitting in a committee desk drawer is HB-715, which would repeal the spent shell casing requirement for new handgun sales. The system that is supposed to be cataloging these spent shell casings has been dismantled; it's people reassigned and it's equipment sold. The only purpose the requirement now serves is to hinder the exercise of a fundamental right, while all of the collected shell casings collect dust in a bin somewhere.

Click to expand...

And this seems to prove--for those who may have had ANY doubts--that we are fighting an ideological battle, and need to step up the effort for the rest of the session to get the bad bills pocketed as well.

Then, the next step will have to be the Ballot Box.

Mr H said:

And this seems to prove--for those who may have had ANY doubts--that we are fighting an ideological battle, and need to step up the effort for the rest of the session to get the bad bills pocketed as well.

Then, the next step will have to be the Ballot Box.

Click to expand...

When they voted down the smigiel amendment last year, any remaining doubt evaporated.

Just saw this in my YT subscriptions:

TopShelf said:

On Conaway, there are 10 Democrat candidates running in district 40 right now. Maybe the vote was allowed so that it can't be used against him? They had what they wanted with or without his vote, correct? Just a theory



A strategy the pro-gun group may want to try

Click to expand...

Trouble is, these days there are no committees pro-gun bills would not be desk drawered or voted down.

I'd have to check if SB248 and HB286 are offucually Companion Bills , but they are at least fundimentally similar. As ammended , our objections had been adressed , and passage was expected..

Tommorow (Monday) will be an Interesting Day in the Committees.