Tuesday, May 14, 2013
A statewide gun turn-in program included three drop-off locations in Montgomery County, police said.
Fourteen guns were turned in at the Maryland State Police Westminster Barrack Saturday during a statewide gun turn-in initiative. Maryland Attorney General Doug Gansler (D) said he initiated the event in February during the legislative swirl of gun control bills, The Washington Post reported. A restrictive gun control package for the state was passed by the Maryland General Assembly in April. “This gives family members the opportunity to remove illegal and unwanted guns from the home that they fear would be used to harm themselves or others,” Gansler told the newspaper. The following weapons were collected, according to police: Detective Sgt. Tim Mullin of the Westminster State Police Barrack said that he thought 14 was a good number for…
Sunday, April 14, 2013
Readers react to Westminster’s decision to reject a voluntary gun turn-in program.
Despite the Westminster police chief's support of a voluntary gun turn-in program, the town's Common Council rejected the idea, with one councilman saying the program amounts to "going down the whole gun control path." Patch readers had a variety of reactions to the rejection of the voluntary gun turn-in program, which we highlight below. Do you think the Westminster Common Council did the right thing? Tell us in comments. “These type of events make good press--pictures of piles of guns turned in--but they don't actually solve any problems. People just get rid of rusty old guns they had lying around in basements that they wanted to get rid of anyway. Few if any people turn in actual working guns, and I doubt any criminals are suddenly …
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
"It’s a calculated effort to encourage people to relinquish their guns," one city leader said of the program initiated by the state attorney general's office.
Despite the Westminster police chief's support of a gun turn-in program, the town's Common Council rejected the idea, with one councilman saying the program amounts to "going down the whole gun control path." Westminster Police Chief Jeffrey Spaulding told the council Monday night that he had been asked by the state attorney general's office to participate in a statewide gun turn-in program along with other Maryland municipalities. The program would be voluntary. "This is simply a gun turn-in program, an opportunity for people who have firearms to rid themselves of them, to turn them over to the police," Spaulding said. Councilman Tony Chiavacci objected to the program. "In my opinion that's just going down the whole gun control path," …
Friday, April 5, 2013
Do local law enforcement officials believe Maryland's gun bill will help them keep Carroll County safe?
Police leadership in Carroll County weighed in on a gun bill passed by Maryland senators Thursday evening. Col. Phil Kasten of the Carroll County Sheriff's Department said that he expects if the bill becomes law that it will be challenged in the courts. "The constitutionality of the legislation is at question," Kasten said. "I anticipate if the bills are passed, that their legality will likely be challenged." The bill bans more than 40 types of guns and prohibits persons who are involuntarily committed from owning a gun. Also included in the bill is a controversial requirement for all future purchasers of regulated firearms to be fingerprinted and licensed. The bill also prohibits the possession of ammunition magazines that hold more …
Wednesday, April 3, 2013
Maryland lawmakers will likely vote on a gun bill this week.
- GOVERNMENT
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Wednesday, April 3
By LUCAS HIGH, Capital News Service An hour before what could be the biggest day in the months-long gun control saga, the State House and Lawyers Mall were oddly quiet. The hundreds of Second Amendment activists and gun control advocates who have organized raucous rallies to mark each legislative milestone in the gun control bill’s march to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s desk were mostly absent from the capital as the House prepared for it final debate on HB 294 at 4 p.m. Tuesday. O’Malley’s bill would ban the purchase of assault rifles, reduce maximum ammunition magazine size from 20 rounds to 10 and require handgun purchasers to submit digital fingerprints prior to licensing. Do you think this proposed gun bill will have a significant impact on …
A Georgia town passed a law this week requiring citizens to own guns and ammo, do you think this is something local towns should consider?
To be clear, Westminster's Common Council is not considering such a law at this time. But the town of Nelson, GA passed a law this week requiring citizens to own a gun and ammunition according to a NBC News report. Maryland lawmakers continue to debate a gun bill in Annapolis as Gov. Martin O'Malley tries to make stricter gun laws for the state. O’Malley’s bill would ban the purchase of assault rifles, reduce maximum ammunition magazine size from 20 rounds to 10 and require handgun purchasers to submit digital fingerprints prior to licensing. Legislators are expected to vote on the bill later this week. According to the report, the new law in Nelson, GA requires the head of every household to own a gun and ammo to provide security for …
Thursday, March 14, 2013
A survey by Goucher College finds support on issues from banning assault-style weapons and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds to fingerprinting and prohibitions on owning weapons for persons who are involuntarily committed.
From bans on assault-style weapons and high capacity ammunition magazines to fingerprinting anyone purchasing a gun, a new poll finds that a majority of Marylanders want stricter state gun laws. Eighty-two percent of those surveyed in a poll conducted by the Sarah T. Hughes Field Politics Center at Goucher College believe those purchasing a gun should be fingerprinted. The poll also found: Last month the Maryland Senate approved sweeping changes to gun laws that requires a license for all handgun purchases, bans of sales of assault-style weapons and ammunition magazines holding more than 10 rounds, requires fingerprinting for new gun purchases, and prohibits anyone involuntarily committed involuntarily for mental health reasons or who …
Thursday, February 28, 2013
By LUCAS HIGH and ALLEN ETZLER, Capital News Service
The Senate approved a series of amendments Wednesday to Gov. Martin O’Malley’s gun control legislation that would ease some of the proposed restrictions on gun ownership while maintaining the major aspects of the bill. The Senate heard amendments to the bill until 9:30 p.m. Wednesday. A final vote on the bill in the Senate is expected at 8 a.m. Thursday. Among the changes to O’Malley’s proposal, the amended bill narrows the definition of what constitutes an assault weapon, doubles the lifespan of a valid handgun license and reduces both the number of hours of training and the licensing fee required to purchase a handgun. The bill also clarifies which people who seek mental health services are disqualified from owning a gun. Despite the …
Saturday, February 23, 2013
By ALLEN ETZLER, Capital News Service
- NEWS
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Saturday, February 23
The Maryland Senate is set to vote on Gov. Martin O’Malley’s package of new gun legislation in the coming week. If approved, the law would ban assault rifles, decrease the maximum capacity of ammunition magazines from 20 to 10, update handgun licensing requirements to include digital fingerprinting, improve school security and restrict the ability of people who have been involuntarily committed to psychiatric facilities from purchasing guns. But gun restrictions are not new in Maryland, dating back to at least 1886, when the legislature passed a bill stating the only way someone could carry a firearm, concealed or not, was if the person was a public official who needed a firearm as part of their official equipment. Five decades later, both…
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Those who wish to testify are encouraged to preregister.
The Carroll County State Senate Delegation will hold a town hall meeting on Senate Bill 281 – Firearms Safety Act of 2013 (SB281) on Tuesday, Feb. 26 at 7 p.m. The hearing will take place at the Best Western Hotel, 451 Best Western Drive in Westminster. On Feb. 6, the Maryland State Senate held a bill hearing in Annapolis on SB 281. Several thousand people attended the hearing and many were unable to testify due to time and space constraints. The Senate Delegation would like to provide this town hall meeting as an opportunity for Carroll County citizens to provide their thoughts to the local Senate Delegation on the legislation. The Carroll County House Delegation has been invited to participate. Senate Bill 281 proposes new …
Sanchez
11:07 am on Friday, May 17, 2013
10,000 rounds? that is a fun day with the family at the range and a picnic basket! more ›