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“I will tell you that I have never seen anything like this. Not even during the 60s,” says an elder Democratic Senator. Ladies and gentlemen…we were heard.
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“I will tell you that I have never seen anything like this. Not even during the 60s,” says an elder Democratic Senator. • Ladies and gentlemen…we were heard. • The Maryland Department of General Services estimates our attendance at the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee "Gun Day" on February 8th at 4,000. As of last count, more than 1,770 of you signed up to testify. You literally broke the process. They have never seen so many people sign up to testify – most rallies end with people getting back on a bus and going home. We demanded to be heard. • You’re Effect • Your determination and stamina had a profound impact. Lawmakers in both chambers were knocked back on their heels, and the education we provided in written and verbal testimony not only highlighted significant failings in the text of the Governor’s proposals, but also called into question the entire premise of his plan. The House cannot move these proposals out of their Judiciary Committee, so they are stacking the deck. The Governor’s Gun Control proposals are going to be heard in a special committee stocked with hand-picked acolytes of the Governor. This is more than merely gaming the system – it is tearing up the rules and cheating democracy until they get the outcome they desire. This is not representative democracy, and we cannot let them succeed. • Next Steps • We must do this again. A number of bills have already been submitted in both the House and the Senate that breaks apart the various provisions of SB 281 into smaller pieces, in theory allowing them to pass as much as they can without a single politically costly provision killing an entire omnibus bill. They aren’t stopping. Neither will we. • They think we do not have the stamina. They think we had our fun and will walk away. They are wrong. • The Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee will be voting the week of 18 February • THAT’S DAYS AWAY!!! • Let us remind our elected officials in Annapolis that our showing on February 6th wasn't a onetime thing. • WHAT CAN YOU DO????
Call your State Delegate and the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee TODAYand tell them that they must support our 2nd amendment rights, by voting NOagainst SB0281 Firearm Safety Act 2013 you will accept no less! Go to http://www.mdelect.net to find your representative in Annapolis and email them! Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee 410-841-3623 301-858-3623 Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 3623 Find your Senate Delegate 410-946-5400 301-970-5400 Toll-free in MD: 1-800-492-7122 ext. 5400 Bill Ramifications • Demonizes owners of a massive number of commonplace firearms, by banning the purchase or transfer of those firearms; including those moving into the state. This affects many firearms not previously regulated. • Restricts ammunition such that anyone under 21 may not possess any ammunition outside of the presence of an adult (over 21). This means young hunters, and target shooters are out of luck. • Insults our young adult military members, by denying them the right to own ammunition, even for training purposes. While at the same time allowing them to join the military, use real assault rifles, be placed in a war zone, and be killed. • Criminalizes formerly law abiding gun owners if they fail to abide by the new law, by awarding them with prison time and stripping their right to own any firearms. • Burdens the poor from exercising their 2A right to defend themselves. Imagine a poor single mother that has been threatened. She is being asked to front $385 just to be allowed to purchase a handgun. • Mandates minimum sentences that cannot be suspended or shortened by parole for 5 years on first offense and increasing to a decade on second violation. Prosecutors can still plea bargain away the charge. • Confuses transportation laws of regulated firearms. It appears that if you transport a grandfathered banned weapon out of state it will be illegal to ever bring it back into Maryland. • Excludes new shooters by requiring an expensive and complicated license to rent a handgun. Joining Maryland Shall Issue® is a great first step to showing your support for self defense and the 2nd Amendment in Maryland. http://www.marylandshallissue.org/