O'Malley's Gun Owner Mapping Technology & Ammunition Registration
On Wednesday, February 18, 2009, Governor O'Malley was the keynote speaker at the ESRI Federal Users Conference in Washington, D.C.
His topic was the Geospatial Information System in Maryland.
The GIS press announcement reads as follows:
"Pioneering Leader Will Discuss Using GIS for Performance Measurement and Transparency in Government
Redlands, California- On Wednesday, February 18, 2009, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will deliver the Keynote Address at the ESRI Federal User Conference (FedUC) in Washington, D.C. O'Malley is a longtime advocate of using geographic information systems (GIS) for improved accountability and transparency in government. He will discuss his successful GIS-based performance measurement initiatives and how this approach can be used in federal government.
"GIS is a powerful tool for tracking our progress as a state and improving performance for the citizens we serve. It has become an indispensable tool for government accountability and transparency," said O'Malley. "In Maryland, our GIS applications make public the state's goals, progress, and effectiveness on a variety of public programs and services.."
O'Malley began his first GIS-based program, CitiStat, when he was the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. As governor, he has supported the use of GIS to develop similar GIS-based accountability programs including StateStat, BayStat, GreenPrint, and MD iMap. These online Web mapping applications allow government staff and citizens to evaluate the effectiveness of state government projects, assess Chesapeake Bay restoration projects, and improve planning and decision making related to land conservation and growth. MD iMap is a newly announced Web portal that provides an authoritative basemap with seamless, geocoded statewide centerlines and six-inch imagery of the entire state. Users can access GreenPrint via MD iMap, and government agencies can use a secure login to obtain data from across the state. Eventually, MD iMap will serve as a portal to all accountability programs."
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This all sounds rather benign until you learn what else this system is being used for: specifically, tracking Maryland citizens who own firearms.
An AGC club member who was present during the event reported:
"Near the end of the speech he (O'Malley) said they were keeping information on the location of felons and those with carry permits. He then casually mentioned the GIS system has the location of homes with guns. It was very matter of fact with no information on where or how they are collecting the information."
On February 19, 2009, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown provided written testimony which reads in part: "Of those 7,146 protection orders, 75 respondents had regulated firearms registered with the Maryland State Police and 95 had hunting licenses issued by the Department of Natural Resources." This statement confirmed our long standing suspicions that the Maryland State Police and the Department of Natural Resources are sharing information between the two agencies as well as the Governor as part of a much large effort to identify gun owners in Maryland.
Next we have HB 1446 Public Safety - Sales of Ammunition - Records being filed at the request of the Maryland State Police. This bill seeks to legitimize and expand the current questionable MSP and local law enforcement practice of coercing gun dealers into keeping a "tattle-tale" record of ammunition purchases.
This bill would pretty much close the noose around the necks of gun owners. When you combine the data from regulated firearm purchases, with the data on hunting licenses, plus ammunition purchase registration list you have a very effective and accurate list of the legally owned guns, who owns them, and where they can be found.
The Governor's speech can be found by clicking here. The Power Point Presentation that accompanied the speech can be viewed by clicking on the icon at the beginning and end of the Governor's speech.
NOTE:
HB 1446
is still in the House Rules Committee pending approval to proceed. This is normal practice when a House bill is filed after the 31st day of the Session. Most bills are given the green light by the Rules Committee. This bill will be carefully monitored.
Watch for information on this bill should be it receive a favorable report in the House Rules Committee.
United Way Charity Goes Political & Anti-Gun
By entering the arena of political advocacy, the United Way of Central Maryland, charitable organization, may have violated Internal Revenue Regulations.
Nan A. Waranch, President of Maryland State Association of United Ways submitted written testimony supporting House Bill 296 Family Law - Protective Orders - Surrender of Firearms.
Ms. Waranch commented: "The United Way of Central Maryland does not usually write testimony on issues of public safety."
Calls placed to the United Way questioning the legality of this action have not been returned.
Note: Copy of United Way's written testimony is available upon request.
Holder's Assault Weapon Ban Gets the Cold Shoulder from Democrats
No soon had U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced plans for a renewal of the infamous Assault Weapon Ban (AWB) then House and Senate leaders distanced themselves from the plan.
Unlike Holder, many elected officials remember the election debacle the last AWB produced. The Republicans took over both houses of congress and held control for years and the Democrats are not willing to risk a repeat performance.
Like HR 45, the AWB bears watching but there appears to be no immediate threat.
Update - 2009 Session - Maryland General Assembly
Last Week in the House Judiciary Committee
The Governor's domestic violence / gun confiscation bills were heard in the House Judiciary Committee last Thursday. As predicted, the Governor had a large contingent of supporters, including the Fraternal Order of Police (providing of course that the bill was amended to make police officers were exempt). These bills are pending committee votes by the House Judiciary Committee - perhaps as early as next week.
HB 353 was given an unfavorable report by the Committee.
Last Week in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
In a 5 to 5 tie vote, Governor O'Malley's bill to abolish the death penalty died in committee. However, senate President Mike Miller was already on record prior to the vote announcing that he would circumvent the rules to bring the Governor's bill to the Senate floor.
The committee vote on the Governor's domestic violence bills has been delayed and will probably occur early next week. No word yet on whether Mike Miller will override the committee and bring these bills to the Senate floor if they fail in committee.
On Wednesday, February 18, 2009, Governor O'Malley was the keynote speaker at the ESRI Federal Users Conference in Washington, D.C.
His topic was the Geospatial Information System in Maryland.
The GIS press announcement reads as follows:
"Pioneering Leader Will Discuss Using GIS for Performance Measurement and Transparency in Government
Redlands, California- On Wednesday, February 18, 2009, Maryland Governor Martin O'Malley will deliver the Keynote Address at the ESRI Federal User Conference (FedUC) in Washington, D.C. O'Malley is a longtime advocate of using geographic information systems (GIS) for improved accountability and transparency in government. He will discuss his successful GIS-based performance measurement initiatives and how this approach can be used in federal government.
"GIS is a powerful tool for tracking our progress as a state and improving performance for the citizens we serve. It has become an indispensable tool for government accountability and transparency," said O'Malley. "In Maryland, our GIS applications make public the state's goals, progress, and effectiveness on a variety of public programs and services.."
O'Malley began his first GIS-based program, CitiStat, when he was the mayor of Baltimore, Maryland. As governor, he has supported the use of GIS to develop similar GIS-based accountability programs including StateStat, BayStat, GreenPrint, and MD iMap. These online Web mapping applications allow government staff and citizens to evaluate the effectiveness of state government projects, assess Chesapeake Bay restoration projects, and improve planning and decision making related to land conservation and growth. MD iMap is a newly announced Web portal that provides an authoritative basemap with seamless, geocoded statewide centerlines and six-inch imagery of the entire state. Users can access GreenPrint via MD iMap, and government agencies can use a secure login to obtain data from across the state. Eventually, MD iMap will serve as a portal to all accountability programs."
####
This all sounds rather benign until you learn what else this system is being used for: specifically, tracking Maryland citizens who own firearms.
An AGC club member who was present during the event reported:
"Near the end of the speech he (O'Malley) said they were keeping information on the location of felons and those with carry permits. He then casually mentioned the GIS system has the location of homes with guns. It was very matter of fact with no information on where or how they are collecting the information."
On February 19, 2009, Lt. Governor Anthony Brown provided written testimony which reads in part: "Of those 7,146 protection orders, 75 respondents had regulated firearms registered with the Maryland State Police and 95 had hunting licenses issued by the Department of Natural Resources." This statement confirmed our long standing suspicions that the Maryland State Police and the Department of Natural Resources are sharing information between the two agencies as well as the Governor as part of a much large effort to identify gun owners in Maryland.
Next we have HB 1446 Public Safety - Sales of Ammunition - Records being filed at the request of the Maryland State Police. This bill seeks to legitimize and expand the current questionable MSP and local law enforcement practice of coercing gun dealers into keeping a "tattle-tale" record of ammunition purchases.
This bill would pretty much close the noose around the necks of gun owners. When you combine the data from regulated firearm purchases, with the data on hunting licenses, plus ammunition purchase registration list you have a very effective and accurate list of the legally owned guns, who owns them, and where they can be found.
The Governor's speech can be found by clicking here. The Power Point Presentation that accompanied the speech can be viewed by clicking on the icon at the beginning and end of the Governor's speech.
NOTE:
HB 1446
is still in the House Rules Committee pending approval to proceed. This is normal practice when a House bill is filed after the 31st day of the Session. Most bills are given the green light by the Rules Committee. This bill will be carefully monitored.
Watch for information on this bill should be it receive a favorable report in the House Rules Committee.
United Way Charity Goes Political & Anti-Gun
By entering the arena of political advocacy, the United Way of Central Maryland, charitable organization, may have violated Internal Revenue Regulations.
Nan A. Waranch, President of Maryland State Association of United Ways submitted written testimony supporting House Bill 296 Family Law - Protective Orders - Surrender of Firearms.
Ms. Waranch commented: "The United Way of Central Maryland does not usually write testimony on issues of public safety."
Calls placed to the United Way questioning the legality of this action have not been returned.
Note: Copy of United Way's written testimony is available upon request.
Holder's Assault Weapon Ban Gets the Cold Shoulder from Democrats
No soon had U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder announced plans for a renewal of the infamous Assault Weapon Ban (AWB) then House and Senate leaders distanced themselves from the plan.
Unlike Holder, many elected officials remember the election debacle the last AWB produced. The Republicans took over both houses of congress and held control for years and the Democrats are not willing to risk a repeat performance.
Like HR 45, the AWB bears watching but there appears to be no immediate threat.
Update - 2009 Session - Maryland General Assembly
Last Week in the House Judiciary Committee
The Governor's domestic violence / gun confiscation bills were heard in the House Judiciary Committee last Thursday. As predicted, the Governor had a large contingent of supporters, including the Fraternal Order of Police (providing of course that the bill was amended to make police officers were exempt). These bills are pending committee votes by the House Judiciary Committee - perhaps as early as next week.
HB 353 was given an unfavorable report by the Committee.
Last Week in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee
In a 5 to 5 tie vote, Governor O'Malley's bill to abolish the death penalty died in committee. However, senate President Mike Miller was already on record prior to the vote announcing that he would circumvent the rules to bring the Governor's bill to the Senate floor.
The committee vote on the Governor's domestic violence bills has been delayed and will probably occur early next week. No word yet on whether Mike Miller will override the committee and bring these bills to the Senate floor if they fail in committee.
