Monday, March 18th, was Crossover Day for the Maryland 2024 Legislative Session. This means that introduced bills must pass their house of origin to continue through the legislative process.
Unfortunately, two bills detrimental to sportsmen made it through crossover and are scheduled to be heard in their respective committees next week. Please make sure you use both Take Action buttons to ensure the respective committee members receive your opposition email to the bill before them.
On Wednesday, March 27th, at 1:00 p.m., the House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hear Senate Bill 488. This harmful bill institutes new vague laws and restrictions on the heavily regulated firearms industry. It also authorizes the Attorney General to sue a member of the firearm industry by alleging violations and even potential violations of these laws and may seek equitable relief from a court.
Please use our Take Action button below to email the committee members and urge them to vote “NO” on SB 488. Nothing in this bill works to reduce the criminal misuse of firearms. It will only cripple the firearm industry by instituting new policies and procedures that will make it nearly impossible for the firearm industry to engage in the lawful sale and/or trade of firearms in the state.
On Thursday, March 28th, at 1:00 p.m., the House Ways and Means Committee is scheduled to hear Senate Bill 784, the falsely named, Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act. This prejudicial bill imposes an 11% excise tax or “sin” tax on sportsmen to recuperate monies from the law-abiding to pay for the criminal acts caused by others. The monies from the sin tax go towards funding programs whose sole purpose is to pay for gun violence prevention, research, healing, and recovery programs.
Please use our Take Action button to email the committee members urging them to OPPOSE SB 784. The committee needs to hear sportsmen are opposed to SB 784, as it 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. Ask them to email the committees urging them to OPPOSE SB 488 and SB 784. The survival of our hunting, fishing, and trapping heritage in Maryland is happening NOW, and it needs every sportsman and gun owner to Take Action.
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.