- May 22, 2005
- 122,880
Neil "I loves me some Mama Feinstein" Quinter is at it again. Line up your days off for the gun hearing day.
Assault weapons ban revived in Md. legislature
Howard delegate promotes bill with Baltimore's police chief at his side
The Associated Press
Originally published February 9, 2006, 5:00 PM EST
ANNAPOLIS // Semiautomatic weapons would be banned in Maryland under an
assault weapons ban proposed today by a Democratic lawmaker.
The measure, proposed unsuccessfully last year, would make possession of an
automatic weapon on the list punishable by at least five years in prison,
unless the owners can prove they legally had the gun before the ban would
take effect.
"These are weapons of war. These are not for hunting," said Del. Neil
Quinter, D-Howard County, who sponsored the bill. A similar bill failed last
year.
Joining Quinter to announce the proposal was Baltimore Police Commissioner
Leonard Hamm, who told reporters that his officers recovered 22 assault
weapons last year.
"That doesn't sound like a lot. But if you ever see one of these things [up
close], they're absolutely frightening," Hamm said.
A Republican on the House Judiciary Committee, which is likely to hear the
bill, said he doubted an assault weapons ban would make Maryland safer.
"Personally I don't see much need for people to have assault weapons or
weapons of that nature, but on the other hand, I see no reason for the
government to step in," said Del. William Daniel Mayer, R-Charles County.
A federal ban on the military-style guns lapsed in 2004.