Legal Firearms to Possess While Visiting MD?

Once he has stopped in MD, his FOPA protection evaporates. Don't drive around with handguns in the car once you are in MD unless engaged in one of the allowed activities under MD 4-203 (range, gun shop, etc.) as Bigfoot outlined.

IANAL

swinokur said:

Once he has stopped in MD, his FOPA protection evaporates. Don't drive around with handguns in the car once you are in MD unless engaged in one of the allowed activities under MD 4-203 (range, gun shop, etc.) as Bigfoot outlined.

IANAL

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Yep, understand the FOPA protection limits on the handguns. Generally that makes the handgun pretty unattractive to bring along. (Gee, I wonder if that was the intent?)

For my own purposes I care most about having something available if trouble hits the fan where I've travelled to and/or I need to get home. While it's an unlikely scenario, I'd rather not find myself in a "Damn, I wish my gun wasn't 4 hours away" situation. For this purpose a long gun is probably even the better choice.

Nonetheless, thanks for the FOPA reminder. It's good to have that attached to this discussion thread.

Kudos to Bigfoot for the FOPA advisory.

Enjoy your visit.

ETA-long guns must be unloaded during transport.

loaded mags are ok. AG ruling attached.

Pinecone said:

The question that comes to mind, was the VZ58 offered for sale in the US in 1994?

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Negative.

So no reason to put it on the list.

dblas said:

Actually the list started in 1989, not 1994. It was added to in 1994.

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I found this in the Maryland Register (referencing Senate Bill 531 [1989] and House Bill 1118 [1989])- 'The House version of the bill received an unfavorable report, but the Senate version, as thus amended, was enacted as Chapter 293, Laws of Maryland 1989. The new assault weapons law, including that definition, was codified at Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 27, §481E.'

I'm curious if anyone here knows what the actual effective date (specifically, the date that marked whether ownership would have been 'grandfathered' in) was? Also, does anyone have a link to the final, enrolled bill?

unimogger said:

I found this in the Maryland Register (referencing Senate Bill 531 [1989] and House Bill 1118 [1989])- 'The House version of the bill received an unfavorable report, but the Senate version, as thus amended, was enacted as Chapter 293, Laws of Maryland 1989. The new assault weapons law, including that definition, was codified at Annotated Code of Maryland, Article 27, §481E.'

I'm curious if anyone here knows what the actual effective date (specifically, the date that marked whether ownership would have been 'grandfathered' in) was? Also, does anyone have a link to the final, enrolled bill?

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Well, since the FSA2013 took affect on Oct 1, 2013, any firearm purchased before Oct 1, 2013 is grandfathered.


And I can do better than link to the enrolled bill, here is slink to the signed bill (Chapter 427 from 2013): http://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2013RS/Chapters_noln/CH_427_sb0281e.pdf

dblas said:

Well, since the FSA2013 took affect on Oct 1, 2013, any firearm purchased before Oct 1, 2013 is grandfathered.

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Thank you dblas . . . I am looking for the effective date of the 1989 law (the date in that calendar year at which ownership of any of the listed 'firearms or their copies' was grandfathered). Would it have been October 1, 1989?

unimogger said:

Thank you dblas . . . I am looking for the effective date of the 1989 law (the date in that calendar year at which ownership of any of the listed 'firearms or their copies' was grandfathered). Would it have been October 1, 1989?

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Ahh, well, you posted the final version (Chapter 293, 1989), but since it isn't scanned anywhere there is no link. Best you can do is call legislative services in Annapolis and ask for a copy.

My guess would be either May 30, 1989 given no specific date outlined in the bill, and the bill taking affect on June 1, 1989, or Sept 31, 1989 with the bill taking affect on October 1, 1989 if written in the bill.

By the way, grandfathering would only apply to assault pistols listed from 1989, and not regulated long guns, as regulated long guns were still available at the time.

dblas said:

. . . Best you can do is call legislative services in Annapolis and ask for a copy . . .

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The nice lady at MLIS scanned the relevant pages for me so I can now provide this for reference (and answer my own question)-

Chapter 293 – Page 2485

(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION, “ASSAULT WEAPON” MEANS ANY OF THE FOLLOWING
SPECIFIC FIREARMS OR THEIR COPIES REGARDLESS OF WHICH COMPANY
PRODUCED AND MANUFACTURED THAT FIREARM:

. . . [Enumerated list of 24 firearms was here] . . .

(2) “ASSAULT WEAPON” DOES NOT INCLUDE ANY FIREARM MODIFIED TO RENDER
IT PERMANENTLY INOPERATIVE.
(B) (1) A DEALER OR PERSON MAY NOT SELL OR TRANSFER ANY ASSAULT
WEAPON TO A PERSON WHOM THE DEALER OR PERSON KNOWS OR HAS
REASONABLE CAUSE TO BELIEVE:
(I) HAS BEEN CONVICTED OF A CRIME OF VIOLENCE OR OF ANY OF THE
PROVISIONS OF THIS SUBTITLE;
(II) IS A FUGITIVE FROM JUSTICE;
(III) IS AN HABITUAL DRUNKARD OR IS ADDICTED TO OR AN HABITUAL
USER OF NARCOTICS, BARBITURATES, OR AMPHETAMINES;
(IV) IS OF UNSOUND MIND;
(V) IS VISIBLY UNDER THE INFLUENCE OF ALCOHOL OR DRUGS; OR
(VI) IS UNDER 21 YEARS OF AGE
(2) A DEALER MANY NOT SELL OR TRANSFER ANY ASSAULT WEAPON UNTIL
THE DEALER COMPLIES WITH ALL OF THE REQUIREMENTS FOR THE SALE
OR TRANSFER OF A PISTOL OR REVOLVER AS PROVIDED FOR UNDER
§ 442 OF THIS ARTICLE.
(C) A PERSON WHO KNOWINGLY VIOLATES ANY PROVISION OF THIS SECTION
OR WHO KNOWINGLY GIVES FALSE INFORMATION IN ORDER TO OBTAIN AN
ASSAULT WEAPON SHALL, ON CONVICTION, BE FINED NOT MORE THAN
$10,000 OR IMPRISONED FOR NOT MORE THAN 3 YEARS OR BOTH.

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect [had July 1, 1989 which was stricken through] January 1, 1990.

Approved May 19, 1989