Ammo & Gun Tax Proposal

[Mark75H]

I didn't see the name of the bill, nor the number previously mentioned so it fails in search if someone tries to search before starting a new thread

Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act SB 784​

ALSO: as currently written it imposes a 11% GROSS RECEIPTS TAX on FFL's, gun ranges etc. That ends up being even more of a take than if it were just 11% on guns and ammo

 

[MigraineMan]

I didn't see the name of the bill, nor the number previously mentioned so it fails in search if someone tries to search before starting a new thread

Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act SB 784​

ALSO: as currently written it imposes a 11% GROSS RECEIPTS TAX on FFL's, gun ranges etc. That ends up being even more of a take than if it were just 11% on guns and ammo

Sponsored by:
Senators Elfreth, Augustine, Beidle, Ferguson, Gile, Guzzone, Hester, Hettleman, Jackson, Kelly, King, Kramer, Smith, Sydnor, and Waldstreicher

Cross-filed with HB-0935, sponsored by:
Delegates Mireku-North, Shetty, J. Lewis, Feldmark, Addison, Allen, Amprey, Atterbeary, Boafo, Charkoudian, Crutchfield, Ebersole, Fair, Grossman, D. Jones, Kaufman, Korman, J. Long, Palakovich Carr, Phillips, Roberson, Solomon, Spiegel, Terrasa, Toles, Wilkins, Wims, Wolek, Wu, and Young

That's quite the sponsorship pile-on. More-likable "Mike" Bloomberg's gonna be making some campaign contributions!

Should be noted that they're pushing this through Budget and Taxation in the Senate, and Ways and Means in the House, as opposed to going through the respective judiciary committees.

 

[BurkeM]

Should be noted that they're pushing this through Budget and Taxation in the Senate, and Ways and Means in the House, as opposed to going through the respective judiciary committees.

It's a TAX bill, not a gun bill.

 

[mravel1875]

The people of MD would scream if there were an 11% tax on abortion providers or on electric cars. But in MD, legal guns and legal gun owners are demonized. Whoever can flee MD will flee MD.

 

[Tebonski]

Last two years I didn't buy a hunting license after over 40 years of buying them yearly. I know it was a small dent but if every Maryland hunter boycotted hunting licenses for a few years maybe the legislature would learn something valuable.

How many of us are willing to not buy a Maryland hunting license for 2024-2025?

Yeah yeah I know why should you give up something you love?

 

[MigraineMan]

It's a TAX bill, not a gun bill.

It's a gun bill wearing a short skirt declaring "I'm a TAX bill!" and demanding to use the Ways and Means committee.

If you have any doubt, look at the FFL requirements that they added. Currently, there are obligations for businesses that collect use/sin taxes to properly report and promptly remit. Failure to properly report may result in perjury charges, and the Comptroller may decide the fine associated with improper payments. However, if you're a Firearms Accessory purveyor, you have to swear under oath (nobody else has the oath requirement) that you'll perform the Comptroller's collection duties, and ...

13–1001.8
(H) A PERSON WHO IS REQUIRED TO FILE A FIREARM, FIREARM ACCESSORY, AND AMMUNITION EXCISE TAX RETURN AND WHO WILLFULLY FAILS TO FILE THE RETURN AS REQUIRED UNDER TITLE 7.7 OF THIS ARTICLE IS GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND, ON CONVICTION, IS SUBJECT TO A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $5,000 OR IMPRISONMENT NOT EXCEEDING 5 YEARS OR BOTH.

Hey, where have I seen that kind of wording before? Oh yeah, it's the type that makes you a Prohibited Person by legislative fiat because the potential sentence exceeds 2 years in prison. So if an FFL is charged and convicted (regardless of the merits of the charges) he is de facto out of business due to his newly-prohibited status. And all without the need to fight its way through that pesky judicial process. Win win! Right?

It's not an infringement on a fundamental right, it's a tax. (much in the same way as "it's not a gang, it's a club.")

 

[BurkeM]

It's a gun bill wearing a short skirt declaring "I'm a TAX bill!" and demanding to use the Ways and Means committee.



It's not an infringement on a fundamental right, it's a tax. (much in the same way as "it's not a gang, it's a club.")

By the rules of the MGA, Tax bills are not heard by the Judiciary committees, therefore it's handles as a REVENUE bill. We'll have to resister to testify in THOSE committees.

We must ORGANIZE to defeat this.
Now explain why the bill won't receive written testimony by EVERY member of MDS.

Testifying is still FREE.

Drop this link in your preferred calendar app to subscribe to live updates from the tracker https://bit.ly/3Z67kMq​

HOW TO TESTIFY
MSI Guide - Tips For Your Testimony in the Maryland General Assembly

To Sign-up to testify, you MUST make a MyMGA Account!
DO SO HERE

---

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Use these links to find the State lawmakers who represent you in the General Assembly and how to contact them.


Always be civil and speak on how a bill or bills directly affect you.

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Find your representatives HERE
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[K-Romulus]

I'm tying the news about the bill back to this original thread:

A heavily modified tax bill passed the MD Senate.

Passed version seems to be here:

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2024RS/bills/sb/sb0784t.pdf

It appears to now just simply raise the sales and use tax for evil gun stuff to 11% Gone is all the blather about "gross receipts" and special criminal penalties for 'false returns.'

I see it has an exemption for retired LE, but *only* to the extent that the purchase is for 'training.' (I guess that will be determined through the honor system). The rest of us who want to train for, you know, 'gun safety' can apparently pound sand.

Let's see what the House does with its bill; there is still a chance that the two chambers pass bills that are too far apart to reconcile before the clock runs out.

 

[BurkeM]

If only people used this-

MSI Bill Tracker - 2024 Maryland General Assembly Regular Session

This tracker follows legislation and lawmakers in the Maryland General Assembly. It serves as an easily searchable gun and self-defense-related bill database for supporters of the right to keep and bear arms. For a simpler view of bills MSI has taken a position on, please see the supplementary...

www.marylandshallissue.org

 

[BurkeM]

I'm tying the news about the bill back to this original thread:

A heavily modified tax bill passed the MD Senate.

Passed version seems to be here:

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2024RS/bills/sb/sb0784t.pdf

THE SALES AND USE TAX RATE FOR A FIREARM, A FIREARM ACCESSORY, AND AMMUNITION IS 11%.


(A) IN THIS SECTION, “LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER” MEANS AN
INDIVIDUAL WHO IN AN OFFICIAL CAPACITY IS AUTHORIZED BY STATE OR FEDERAL
LAW TO MAKE ARRESTS AND REQUIRED, AS PART OF THE INDIVIDUAL’S
EMPLOYMENT, TO CARRY A FIREARM.

(B) (1) THE SALES AND USE TAX DOES NOT APPLY TO THE SALE OF A
FIREARM ACCESSORY OR AMMUNITION TO A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, RETIRED
LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER, OR A MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE
UNITED STATES OR THE NATIONAL GUARD.

(2) THE EXEMPTION UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION APPLIES ONLY TO THE PURCHASE OF A FIREARM ACCESSORY OR AMMUNITION THAT IS RELATED TO:

(I) THE INDIVIDUAL’S ROLE AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER OR MEMBER OF THE ARMED FORCES OF THE UNITED STATES OR THE NATIONAL GUARD; OR

(II) TRAINING BY A RETIRED LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER

------------------

I don't know about others, but ALL of my purchases are used for 'training.'