On just one day this past week, over 170 bills were filed ----- that's a lot of bills, in a session that has already seen more bills filed than is typical. Several of the bills filed Wednesday relate to public safety. Here are three gun safety bills - prohibiting guns and other weapons on college campuses, preventing those convicted of domestic violence from possessing firearms,and expanding notice requirements when a gun license application is denied.
Another bill -- increasing penalties for drunk driving and increasing the use of the Ignition Interlock technology (which prevents drunk drivers from starting their cars) - has a strong Montgomery County connection. This bill is now named for Montgomery County police officer Noah Leotta, killed in the line by a drunk driver in December. Noah's father is championing the advocacy effort to get the bill passed.
This isn't the first time bills to increase the penalties for drunk driving, and to increase utilization of Ignition Interlock technology, have been filed in Annapolis. This is one of those times it seems it may take a tragedy to pass good public policy.
I'm going to lean on my street cred. as a former trauma nurse to opine just a bit here. Cars are deadly weapons. They are huge, heavy, and go fast. No living creature has much of a chance against one, and there are almost no controls over who gets in one, and goes barreling off down public streets full of other living creatures. Scraping up the pieces of a person assaulted by a car sucks, telling a parent their child is dead is unimaginably hard - and being that parent, I can't even imagine. Take it from me -- some things you NEVER get over.
It utterly eludes me that it is so difficult to get policy-makers to treat cars as the deadly weapons they are, and the damage wrought by them with the seriousness it deserves. Using technology that can prevent convicted drunk drivers from driving drunk is just common sense. Making penalties for drunk and impaired driving actual penalties - that makes sense too. MADD, SADD, police unions, public safety groups, doctors, nurses, any organization whose focus is child health and safety --- all should get behind this bill. At least, that's what I think. Now, the bills themselves:
SB906/HB1102 – Weapon-Free Higher Education Zones -Senator
Madaleno, Delegate Barnes
Synposis:
The bill would amend the state’s Criminal Law statutes to prohibit the carrying
or possession of firearms, knives, or deadly weapons on the property of public
institutions of higher education. The
bill provides exceptions for law enforcement officers, retired or off-duty law
enforcement officers authorized to carry a weapon, a person hired for the
purpose of guarding the institution's property, a person engaged in organized
shooting activity for educational purposes, and a person who has a written
invitation from the president of the institution to engage in a historical
demonstration.
Here
is the link to the SB906 page on the General Assembly website:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=sb0906&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
SB906
is assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee, and is set for
hearing on 3/9. Here is a link to the
Judicial Proceedings committee membership – each name is a hyperlink to the senator’s
contact information:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=jpr&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
The House crossfile, HB1102,
is assigned to the House Appropriations committe, and as of 2/12 does not have
an initial hearing date. Here is a link to the committee's membership, each name a hyperlink to the delegate's contact information:
SB943/HB1101 – Criminal Procedure - Firearms – Transfer - Sen. Raskin, Del. Will Smith
Synposis:
This bill would prohibit individuals convicted of a crime of domestic violence from obtaining and/or possessing firearms. The bill provides a mechanism by which individuals convicted of domestic violence would legally dispose of or transfer any firearms in their possession.
The
full text of the bill can be found at:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=sb0243&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
SB943 is assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee, and is set for hearing on 3/9. Here is a link to the Judicial Proceedings committee membership – each name is a hyperlink to the senator’s contact information:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=jpr&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
The House crossfile, HB1001, is assigned to the House Judiciary committee, and is set for hearing on 2/26. Here is a link to the committee's membership, each name a hyperlink to the delegate's contact information:
SB944/HB1340 – Firearms - Applications - Notification and Reporting -
Senator Raskin
Synposis:
The bill would amend the Public Safety Article by requiring the Secretary of
State Police to provide notice to relevant agencies anytime an application for a gun license is denied because the applicant is legally prohibited from possessing a firearm, or because the applicant made false statements on the gun license application. The bill would require notice of the license denial within 24 hours of the decision, unless a law enforcement investigation would be compromised.
Information about the bill and its progress can be found on it's General Assembly webpage:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?id=sb0944&stab=01&pid=billpage&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
SB944 is assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee, and is set for hearing on 3/9. Here is a link to the Judicial Proceedings committee membership – each name is a hyperlink to the senator’s contact information:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=jpr&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
The House crossfile, HB1340, is assigned to the House Judiciary committee, and is set for hearing on 3/15. Here is a link to the committee's membership, each name a hyperlink to the delegate's contact information:
SB945/HB1342 – Drunk Driving Reduction Act of
2016 (Noah's Law) -Sen. Raskin, Del. Kramer
Synposis:
The bill would amend the Transportation Article by increasing the suspension
periods for the driver's license of a person who is convicted of driving under
the influence of alcohol or controlled substances. The bill would require persons convicted of
driving under the influence to participate in the Ignition Interlock System
Program for a specified period of time.
The bill would require revocation of a driver’s license in the case of a
conviction for vehicular homicide. Generally the bill expands the optional and mandatory use of Ignition Interlock technology. That technology requires Breathalyzer analysis showing no blood alcohol content before a car's ignition can be engaged. In other words, if the breath test reveals alcohol, the car won't start.
Here's a link to the bill's page on the General Assembly website at:
SB945 is assigned to the Senate Judicial Proceedings committee, and is set for hearing on 3/10. Here is a link to the Judicial Proceedings committee membership – each name is a hyperlink to the senator’s contact information:
http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/webmga/frmMain.aspx?pid=cmtepage&stab=04&id=jpr&tab=subject3&ys=2016RS
The House crossfile, HB1342, is assigned to the House Judiciary committee, and is set for hearing on 2/24. Here is a link to the committee's membership, each name a hyperlink to the delegate's contact information:
