MD
Maryland House Bill HB546

Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB546 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.
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33 EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
44 [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
55 *hb0546*
66
77 HOUSE BILL 546
88 E4 4lr2937
99 CF SB 324
1010 By: Delegate Williams
1111 Introduced and read first time: January 24, 2024
1212 Assigned to: Judiciary
1313
1414 A BILL ENTITLED
1515
1616 AN ACT concerning 1
1717
1818 Handgun Permits – Accidental Discharge and Training Requirements – 2
1919 Maryland State Police Gun Center 3
2020 (Firearm Safety Act of 2024) 4
2121
2222 FOR the purpose of requiring a person who holds a handgun permit to register for and 5
2323 complete a certain firearms safety training course within a certain time if the person 6
2424 accidentally discharges a firearm; requiring the Secretary of State Police to revoke a 7
2525 handgun permit of a certain person who fails to successfully complete a certain 8
2626 firearms safety training course; requiring the Secretary to provide certain written 9
2727 notice to a person whose handgun permit is revoked; authorizing the Secretary to 10
2828 reinstate a person’s handgun permit if certain requirements are satisfied; requiring 11
2929 law enforcement agencies to report certain information to the Maryland State Police 12
3030 Gun Center; requiring the Center to report certain information to the Department of 13
3131 State Police’s Licensing Division; requiring the Secretary to coordinate with the 14
3232 Center and law enforcement agencies to implement the provisions of this Act; 15
3333 expanding the tracking, screening, and vetting requirements of the Center; and 16
3434 generally relating to handgun permits. 17
3535
3636 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 18
3737 Article – Public Safety 19
3838 Section 5–101(a) and (h) and 5–301 20
3939 Annotated Code of Maryland 21
4040 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 22
4141
4242 BY adding to 23
4343 Article – Public Safety 24
4444 Section 5–315 25
4545 Annotated Code of Maryland 26
4646 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 27
4747
4848 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 28 2 HOUSE BILL 546
4949
5050
5151 Article – Public Safety 1
5252 Section 5–801, 5–802, and 5–803 2
5353 Annotated Code of Maryland 3
5454 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 4
5555
5656 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 5
5757 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 6
5858
5959 Article – Public Safety 7
6060
6161 5–101. 8
6262
6363 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 9
6464
6565 (h) (1) “Firearm” means: 10
6666
6767 (i) a weapon that expels, is designed to expel, or may readily be 11
6868 converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive; 12
6969
7070 (ii) the frame or receiver of such a weapon; or 13
7171
7272 (iii) an unfinished frame or receiver, as defined in § 5–701 of this title. 14
7373
7474 (2) “Firearm” includes a starter gun. 15
7575
7676 5–301. 16
7777
7878 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 17
7979
8080 (b) “Handgun” has the meaning stated in § 4–201 of the Criminal Law Article. 18
8181
8282 (c) “Permit” means a permit issued by the Secretary to carry, wear, or transport 19
8383 a handgun. 20
8484
8585 (d) “Qualified handgun instructor” has the meaning stated in § 5–101 of this title. 21
8686
8787 (e) “Secretary” means the Secretary of State Police or the Secretary’s designee. 22
8888
8989 5–315. 23
9090
9191 (A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 24
9292 INDICATED. 25
9393
9494 (2) “ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE ” MEANS THE UNINTENDED 26
9595 DISCHARGING OF A FIR EARM THAT CAUSES : 27
9696 HOUSE BILL 546 3
9797
9898
9999 (I) INJURY TO OR DEATH O F A PERSON; OR 1
100100
101101 (II) PROPERTY DAMAGE . 2
102102
103103 (3) “FIREARM” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 5–101 OF THIS TITLE. 3
104104
105105 (B) IF THERE IS AN ACCIDE NTAL DISCHARGE BY A PERSON WHO HOLDS A 4
106106 PERMIT, THE PERSON SHALL : 5
107107
108108 (1) REGISTER FOR A CERTI FIED FIREARMS SAFETY TRAINING 6
109109 COURSE WITHIN 90 DAYS AFTER THE INCID ENT; AND 7
110110
111111 (2) SUCCESSFULLY COMPLET E THE FIREARMS SAFET Y TRAINING 8
112112 COURSE WITHIN 6 MONTHS AFTER THE INC IDENT. 9
113113
114114 (C) THE CERTIFIED FIREARM S SAFETY TRAINING CO URSE REQUI RED 10
115115 UNDER SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L BE APPROVED BY THE SECRETARY 11
116116 AND SHALL INCLUDE : 12
117117
118118 (1) A MINIMUM OF 4 HOURS OF INSTRUCTION BY A QUALIFIED 13
119119 HANDGUN INSTRUCTOR ; 14
120120
121121 (2) CLASSROOM INSTRUCTIO N ON HANDGUN MECHANI SMS AND 15
122122 OPERATION, INCLUDING: 16
123123
124124 (I) THE PROPER OPERATION AND SAFE HANDLING OF A 17
125125 HANDGUN; 18
126126
127127 (II) THE CLEANING AND MAI NTENANCE OF A HANDGU N; 19
128128
129129 (III) THE LOADING AND UNLO ADING OF AMMUNITION ; AND 20
130130
131131 (IV) THE DIFFERENCES BETW EEN REVOLVERS AND 21
132132 SEMIAUTOMATIC HANDGU NS; AND 22
133133
134134 (3) AN ORIENTATION COMPO NENT THAT DEMONSTRAT ES THE 23
135135 PERSON’S SAFE OPERATION AND HANDLING OF A FIREAR M, INCLUDING A “LIVE 24
136136 FIRE” COMPONENT , IN WHICH THE PERSON SAFELY SHOOTS THE FI REARM. 25
137137
138138 (D) (1) THE SECRETARY SHALL REVOK E A PERMIT OF A PERS ON WHO 26
139139 FAILS TO SATISFY THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 27
140140 4 HOUSE BILL 546
141141
142142
143143 (2) (I) THE SECRETARY SHALL PROVI DE WRITTEN NOTIFICAT ION 1
144144 TO A PERSON WHOSE PE RMIT IS REVOKED UNDE R THIS SUBSECTION . 2
145145
146146 (II) A WRITTEN NOTICE OF RE VOCATION SHALL CONTA IN THE 3
147147 REASONS THE PERMIT W AS REVOKED AND A STATEM ENT OF THE PERSON ’S APPEAL 4
148148 RIGHTS. 5
149149
150150 (3) THE SECRETARY MAY REINSTA TE A PERMIT THAT HAS BEEN 6
151151 REVOKED UNDER THIS S UBSECTION IF THE PER SON SATISFIES THE RE QUIREMENTS 7
152152 OF SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION. 8
153153
154154 (E) THE SECRETARY MAY INCORPO RATE AN EXISTING CERTIFIE D 9
155155 FIREARMS SAFETY TRAI NING COURSE TO SATIS FY THE TRAINING COUR SE 10
156156 REQUIREMENTS OF SUBS ECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION. 11
157157
158158 (F) (1) A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY SHALL REPORT TO T HE 12
159159 MARYLAND STATE POLICE GUN CENTER EACH ACCIDENTA L DISCHARGE THAT IS 13
160160 COMMITTED IN THE JUR ISDICTION OF THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY . 14
161161
162162 (2) THE MARYLAND STATE POLICE GUN CENTER SHALL REPORT A LL 15
163163 ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE S TO THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE’S LICENSING 16
164164 DIVISION. 17
165165
166166 (G) THE SECRETARY SHALL COORD INATE WITH THE MARYLAND STATE 18
167167 POLICE GUN CENTER AND LAW ENFORC EMENT AGENCIES TO IM PLEMENT THE 19
168168 PROVISIONS OF THIS S ECTION. 20
169169
170170 5–801. 21
171171
172172 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 22
173173
174174 (B) “ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE ” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 5–315 OF 23
175175 THIS TITLE. 24
176176
177177 [(b)] (C) “Center” means the Maryland State Police Gun Center. 25
178178
179179 [(c)] (D) “Crime firearm” means a firearm that is: 26
180180
181181 (1) used in the commission of a crime of violence, as defined in § 5–101 of 27
182182 this title; or 28
183183
184184 (2) recovered by a law enforcement agency in connection with illegal 29
185185 firearm possession, transportation, or transfer. 30
186186 HOUSE BILL 546 5
187187
188188
189189 [(d)] (E) “Department” means the Department of State Police. 1
190190
191191 [(e)] (F) “Federally licensed firearms dealer” means a person licensed by the 2
192192 federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to deal in firearms. 3
193193
194194 [(f)] (G) “Federally licensed firearms importer” means a person licensed by the 4
195195 federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to import firearms. 5
196196
197197 [(g)] (H) “Final protective order” has the meaning stated in § 4–501 of the Family 6
198198 Law Article. 7
199199
200200 [(h)] (I) “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning stated in § 3–201 of this 8
201201 article. 9
202202
203203 5–802. 10
204204
205205 (a) The Center is established within the Department as a statewide firearms 11
206206 enforcement center for the tracking, screening, and vetting of all: 12
207207
208208 (1) firearm crimes committed in the State; [and] 13
209209
210210 (2) firearms surrendered under final protective orders in the State; AND 14
211211
212212 (3) ACCIDENTAL DISCHARGE S IN THE STATE. 15
213213
214214 (b) This subtitle shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying 16
215215 purposes and policies. 17
216216
217217 5–803. 18
218218
219219 (a) The Center shall create and maintain a statewide database to track 19
220220 information on crimes committed with crime firearms [and], firearms surrendered under 20
221221 final protective orders, AND ACCIDENTAL DISCH ARGES in the State. 21
222222
223223 (b) Each law enforcement agency shall report to the Center the following 22
224224 information on crimes committed in the jurisdiction of the law enforcement agency with 23
225225 crime firearms: 24
226226
227227 (1) the number and type of crime firearms; 25
228228
229229 (2) the jurisdictions where crime firearms are recovered; 26
230230
231231 (3) the sources of the crime firearms recovered, if discoverable, including: 27
232232
233233 (i) the federally licensed firearms importer; 28
234234 6 HOUSE BILL 546
235235
236236
237237 (ii) the federally licensed firearms dealer; and 1
238238
239239 (iii) the first purchaser of the crime firearm; 2
240240
241241 (4) information regarding the individual found in possession of the crime 3
242242 firearm, including: 4
243243
244244 (i) the individual’s age; 5
245245
246246 (ii) the individual’s jurisdiction of residence; 6
247247
248248 (iii) the jurisdiction where the individual is charged; and 7
249249
250250 (iv) whether the individual was prohibited from possessing a firearm; 8
251251 and 9
252252
253253 (5) any other information requested by the Center. 10
254254
255255 (c) Each law enforcement agency shall report to the Center the following 11
256256 information on firearms surrendered under final protective orders issued in the jurisdiction 12
257257 of the law enforcement agency: 13
258258
259259 (1) the number and type of firearms; 14
260260
261261 (2) the jurisdictions where firearms are surrendered; and 15
262262
263263 (3) information regarding the individual who surrendered each firearm, 16
264264 including: 17
265265
266266 (i) the individual’s age; 18
267267
268268 (ii) the individual’s jurisdiction of residence; and 19
269269
270270 (iii) any other information requested by the Center. 20
271271
272272 (D) EACH LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY S HALL REPORT TO THE CENTER THE 21
273273 FOLLOWING INFORMATIO N ON ACCIDENTAL DISC HARGES IN THE JURISD ICTION OF 22
274274 THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY: 23
275275
276276 (1) THE NUMBER AND TYPE OF FIREARMS; 24
277277
278278 (2) THE JURISDICTIONS WH ERE ACCIDENTAL DISCH ARGES 25
279279 OCCURRED; AND 26
280280
281281 (3) INFORMATION REGARDIN G THE INDIVIDUAL WHO COMMITTED 27
282282 THE ACCIDENTAL DISCH ARGE, INCLUDING: 28 HOUSE BILL 546 7
283283
284284
285285
286286 (I) THE INDIVIDUAL ’S AGE; 1
287287
288288 (II) THE INDIVIDUAL ’S JURISDICTION OF RE SIDENCE; AND 2
289289
290290 (III) ANY OTHER INFORMATIO N REQUESTED BY THE CENTER. 3
291291
292292 [(d)] (E) The Center may require a law enforcement agency to report any other 4
293293 information relating to firearm crimes committed in the jurisdiction of the law enforcement 5
294294 agency to assist the Center in the tracking of firearm crimes committed in the State. 6
295295
296296 [(e)] (F) The Center shall designate how often law enforcement agencies are 7
297297 required to report the information required under this section. 8
298298
299299 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 9
300300 1, 2025. 10
301301