Ammunition Registration System Off the Table for Now

Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation Press Release

ANNAPOLIS, MD: An ill-advised statutory proposal pending consideration by the 2009 General Assembly met its due fate on March 17, 2009 when House Bill 1446 (Public Safety - Sales of Ammunition - Records) was formally withdrawn by its chief supporter, the Maryland Department of State Police. The sportsmen's community of Maryland celebrates the demise of a bill that would have put Maryland at the Nation's forefront in registering all sales of firearm ammunition. The bi-partisan Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus opposed the bill. Among the many arguments advanced therein, the final statement in the Caucus position statement reads as follows:

"In closing, the Caucus recognizes that reasonable efforts must be pursued to reduce crime, especially crime committed with a loaded firearm. Is this the right approach? The Caucus respectfully requests the House Judiciary Committee to comparatively weigh the intended benefits of this proposal against the potential unintended consequences. In the final analysis, the Caucus trusts the Committee will render an unfavorable report."

One can only imagine the implications attendant to a State policy requiring every small business that sold ammunition to maintain detailed records of every single sales transaction. As noted by the Caucus, "An army of ‘law enforcement officers' - defined by Section 3-101 of the Public Safety Article (Maryland Annotated Code) - will be authorized by State law to inspect the ammunition-related sales of any business so engaged, within and outside their normal jurisdictional authority. What harm can come from this? The sportsmen of Maryland believe a great deal of harm would ensue."

In its request for the proposal to be withdrawn, the Department of State Police stated the following: "The Department believes this issue needs further study and review before it should be presented to the House Judiciary Committee for its consideration." In short,  the bill could be revisited during the 2010 Session of the Maryland General Assembly.