Last week, the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee held a hearing on Senate Bill 784, the falsely named, Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act, imposing an 11% excise tax on sportsmen to pay for Maryland’s gun violence. This type of tax, also known as a “sin” tax is levied on specific goods believed to be harmful to society. And gun control advocates are not shy about blaming sportsmen and gun owners for the state’s gun violence issues.
This Thursday, Feb. 22, at 1 p.m., in room 130, the House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to hear House Bill 935, the companion bill to SB 784.
Like the senate version, HB 935 imposes an 11% excise tax on firearms dealers derived from the sales of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition in the state. The monies from the excise tax will go towards funding programs whose sole purpose is to pay for gun-violence prevention, research, healing and recovery programs.
As we all know, dealers will have no choice but to add the 11% sin tax onto our purchase of firearms, firearm accessories and ammunition, forcing law-abiding sportsmen to foot the bill for the violent acts of criminals.
Please use our Take Action button to email the committee members urging them to OPPOSE HB 935. The committee needs to hear the opposition from the sportsmen community, letting them know we are not the problem and HB 935 will do nothing to address the root cause of Maryland’s gun violence: criminals not respecting human life or the laws.
Don’t forget to share this important alert with your family, friends, and fellow sportsmen urging them also to email the committee urging them to OPPOSE HB 935. Maryland needs everyone to stay actively involved in defending our hunting, fishing, and trapping heritage for present and future generations to enjoy.
About the Sportsmen’s Alliance: The Sportsmen’s Alliance protects and defends America’s wildlife conservation programs and the pursuits – hunting, fishing and trapping – that generate the money to pay for them. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation is responsible for public education, legal defense and research. Its mission is accomplished through several distinct programs coordinated to provide the most complete defense capability possible. Stay connected to Sportsmen’s Alliance: Online,Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.