SB-281 Registration Scheme

[BamBam]

ALL -

The O'Malley team is campaigning to existing gun owners that we would get to keep our existing AR rifles as grandfathered, with just a registration process. And subsequent versions of the bill change the penalty for an unregistered AR rifle from a criminal felony to a civil violation with fine. Is that critical langauge still in the latest version of the bill??

And I have not heard ANYONE explain what happens to that firearm after being discovered as unregistered. Is it returned to the Owner after paying civil fine? Or is the expensive and irreplacable $2000 rifle destroyed !?!?

If this registration paperwork gimmick is a maneuver to identify and destroy existing AR rifles in Maryland, then we need to get that word out there.

 

[ddeanjohnson]

ALL -
The O'Malley team is campaigning to existing gun owners that we would get to keep our existing AR rifles as grandfathered, with just a registration process. And subsequent versions of the bill change the penalty for an unregistered AR rifle from a criminal felony to a civil violation with fine. Is that critical langauge still in the latest version of the bill??

No. The House-passed version of SB 281 does not require registration of "assault" firearms lawfully owned before October 1, 2013. However, new residents must register all "regulated" firearms within 90 days of establishing residency in Maryland. See this analysis, numbered paragraphs 7-8.

 

[BamBam]

My concern is in the bill's language about "lawfully owned" before Oct 1, 2013. What defines lawfully owned really mean? Does that mean only those scary firearms purchased in Maryland and submitted through the state's process for regulated firearms? God forbid -what if someone moved to the state 15 years ago and brought an otherwise legal military style firearm they purchased with them?

 

[rob-cubed]

If you've bought an item as regulated in Maryland, it's already registered (recorded) in an MSP database.

If you had moved into the state with items or otherwise bought them unregulated prior to Oct 1, 2013 then you "lawfully owned" them. The requirement to register was waived.

I agree there are some gray areas though. Until the bill passes, the lawsuits start, and the AG begins "clarifying" the law there will remain questions that many of us can only speculate on at the moment. Hang tight.

 

[ddeanjohnson]

My concern is in the bill's language about "lawfully owned" before Oct 1, 2013. What defines lawfully owned really mean? . . . God forbid -what if someone moved to the state 15 years ago and brought an otherwise legal military style firearm they purchased with them?

There is nothing in the bill to limit the meaning of "lawfully owned" in that way. Under the scenario you describe, those firearms would be "lawfully owned."

 

[maryland criminal lawyer]

Based on the large number of guns that I know of that individuals have tried to sell and purchase since the beginning of the year (After the "Sandy Hook" incident), I have learned that it appears that the Maryland State Police are backed up between five or six weeks, and probably even more, caused by the number of applications that are being processed for new firearm purchases, the purchase of previously owned guns being sold as consignments, through licensed gun dealers, as well as voluntary registration of current private sales. Does anyone know of a way to get this process sped up in order for honest citizens to be able to comply with the law at the present time, not to mention what will be happening when Oct 1st, 2013 arrives. Do we have any recourse to get more manpower (excuse me, person power) to work on this problem, (possibly even through the A.T.F.). Furthermore, how does one find out if a gun that was purchased prior to many of these guns being designated as regulated firearms (during the early 1990's) that are actually registered in the names of people who bought these guns legally years ago. Also. do the State Police claim that their records of dealer sales are really accurate or will individuals have to hope that they still have bills of sales that may date back over 20 years when none of these guns (other than perhaps handguns) had to be registered, and finally, who can we contact to get a list of what guns the State Police actually have listed in our names as having been legally purchased and registered; OR ARE THESE JUST A FEW MORE THINGS THAT WERE NOT CONSIDERED AS THIS BILL WAS PUSHED THROUGH THE LEGISLATURE BY THE "ANTI-GUN" FORCES AT AN INCREDIBLY HIGH SPEED !