MD
Maryland House Bill HB869

Maryland 2024 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB869 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 *hb0869*
66
77 HOUSE BILL 869
88 E4 4lr2243
99 CF SB 753
1010 By: Delegate Bartlett
1111 Introduced and read first time: February 2, 2024
1212 Assigned to: Judiciary
1313
1414 A BILL ENTITLED
1515
1616 AN ACT concerning 1
1717
1818 Public Safety – Firearm Background Checks, Victim Notification, and the 2
1919 Maryland State Police Gun Center 3
2020
2121 FOR the purpose of requiring a law enforcement agency that receives a certain report of a 4
2222 prohibited person failing a background check to notify certain victims; requiring the 5
2323 Secretary of State Police to notify the Maryland State Police Gun Center of certain 6
2424 information if the Secretary disapproves a firearm application because a prospective 7
2525 purchaser, lessee, or transferee failed a background check; requiring a licensed 8
2626 firearms dealer to notify the Center of certain information if the dealer does not sell, 9
2727 rent, or transfer a regulated firearm because the prospective purchaser, lessee, or 10
2828 transferee failed a background check; altering the screening, tracking, and vetting 11
2929 requirements of the Center to include background check denials for all firearm 12
3030 applicants in the State; requiring the Center to notify certain law enforcement 13
3131 agencies of certain background check denials in a certain manner; and generally 14
3232 relating to firearm background checks, victim notification, and the Maryland State 15
3333 Police Gun Center. 16
3434
3535 BY adding to 17
3636 Article – Public Safety 18
3737 Section 3–531 19
3838 Annotated Code of Maryland 20
3939 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 21
4040
4141 BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 22
4242 Article – Public Safety 23
4343 Section 5–101(a), (e), (p), and (u) 24
4444 Annotated Code of Maryland 25
4545 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 26
4646
4747 BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 27
4848 Article – Public Safety 28 2 HOUSE BILL 869
4949
5050
5151 Section 5–122, 5–123, and 5–801 through 5–804 1
5252 Annotated Code of Maryland 2
5353 (2022 Replacement Volume and 2023 Supplement) 3
5454
5555 SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 4
5656 That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 5
5757
5858 Article – Public Safety 6
5959
6060 3–531. 7
6161
6262 (A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 8
6363 INDICATED. 9
6464
6565 (2) “FINAL PROTECTIVE ORDE R” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 10
6666 4–501 OF THE FAMILY LAW ARTICLE. 11
6767
6868 (3) “PROHIBITED PERSON ” MEANS A PERSON WHO F AILS A 12
6969 BACKGROUND CHECK BEC AUSE OF A FINAL PROT ECTIVE ORDER OR VIOL ATING A 13
7070 PROTECTIVE ORDER . 14
7171
7272 (4) “VICTIM” MEANS A HOLDER OF A FINAL PROTECTIVE ORD ER. 15
7373
7474 (B) IF A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY RECEIVES A RE PORT OF A 16
7575 PROHIBITED PERSON FAILING A BACKGROUND CHECK I N ACCORDANCE WITH 18 17
7676 U.S.C. § 925B OR § 5–804(C) OF THIS ARTICLE , THE LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY 18
7777 SHALL IMMEDIATELY NO TIFY THE VICTIM IF T HE PROHIBITED PERSON FAILED THE 19
7878 BACKGROUND CHECK BEC AUSE OF: 20
7979
8080 (1) A FINAL PROTEC TIVE ORDER BETWEEN T HE PROHIBITED PERSON 21
8181 AND THE VICTIM; OR 22
8282
8383 (2) VIOLATING A FINAL PR OTECTIVE ORDER BETWE EN THE 23
8484 PROHIBITED PERSON AN D THE VICTIM. 24
8585
8686 (C) A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGEN CY ACTING UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL BE 25
8787 IMMUNE FROM CIVIL LI ABILITY IF THE LAW E NFORCEMENT AGENCY ACT S IN GOOD 26
8888 FAITH AND IN A REASO NABLE MANNER . 27
8989
9090 5–101. 28
9191
9292 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 29
9393
9494 (e) “Dealer’s license” means a State regulated firearms dealer’s license. 30
9595 HOUSE BILL 869 3
9696
9797
9898 (p) “Licensee” means a person who holds a dealer’s license. 1
9999
100100 (u) “Secretary” means the Secretary of State Police or the Secretary’s designee. 2
101101
102102 5–122. 3
103103
104104 (a) The Secretary shall disapprove a firearm application if: 4
105105
106106 (1) the Secretary determines that the firearm applicant supplied false 5
107107 information or made a false statement; 6
108108
109109 (2) the Secretary determines that the firearm application is not properly 7
110110 completed; or 8
111111
112112 (3) the Secretary receives written notification from the firearm applicant’s 9
113113 licensed attending physician that the firearm applicant suffers from a mental disorder and 10
114114 is a danger to the firearm applicant or to another. 11
115115
116116 (b) (1) If the Secretary disapproves a firearm application, the Secretary shall 12
117117 notify the prospective seller, lessor, or transferor in writing of the disapproval within 7 days 13
118118 after the date that the executed firearm application is forwarded to the Secretary by 14
119119 certified mail or facsimile machine. 15
120120
121121 (2) After notifying the prospective seller, lessor, or transferor under 16
122122 paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Secretary shall notify the prospective purchaser, 17
123123 lessee, or transferee in writing of the disapproval. 18
124124
125125 (3) The date when the prospective seller, lessor, or transferor forwards the 19
126126 executed firearm application to the Secretary by certified mail or by facsimile machine is 20
127127 the first day of the 7–day period allowed for notice of disapproval to the prospective seller, 21
128128 lessor, or transferor. 22
129129
130130 (C) IF THE SECRETARY DISAPPROVES A FIREARM APPLICATIO N BECAUSE 23
131131 THE PROSPECTIVE PURC HASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE FAILED TO PASS A 24
132132 BACKGROUND CHECK , THE SECRETARY SHALL NOTIF Y THE MARYLAND STATE 25
133133 POLICE GUN CENTER OF: 26
134134
135135 (1) THE IDENTITY OF THE PROSPECTIVE PURCHASE R, LESSEE, OR 27
136136 TRANSFEREE ; 28
137137
138138 (2) THE DATE AND TIME OF THE DENIAL; 29
139139
140140 (3) THE LOCATION WHERE T HE PROSPECTIVE PU RCHASER, LESSEE, 30
141141 OR TRANSFEREE SOUGHT TO OBTAIN THE FIREAR M; AND 31
142142
143143 (4) THE REASON OR REASON S FOR THE DENIAL . 32 4 HOUSE BILL 869
144144
145145
146146
147147 5–123. 1
148148
149149 (a) A licensee may not sell, rent, or transfer a regulated firearm until after 7 days 2
150150 following the time a firearm application is executed by the firearm applicant, in triplicate, 3
151151 and the original is forwarded by the prospective seller or transferor to the Secretary. 4
152152
153153 (b) A licensee shall complete the sale, rental, or transfer of a regulated firearm 5
154154 within 90 days after the firearm application was stamped by the Secretary as not being 6
155155 disapproved. 7
156156
157157 (c) (1) If the sale, rental, or transfer of a regulated firearm is not completed 8
158158 within 90 days after the firearm application was stamped by the Secretary as not being 9
159159 disapproved, a licensee shall return the firearm application to the Secretary within 7 days. 10
160160
161161 (2) The Secretary shall void a firearm application returned under 11
162162 paragraph (1) of this subsection as an incomplete sale, rental, or transfer. 12
163163
164164 (d) (1) (i) A licensee who sells, rents, or transfers a regulated firearm in 13
165165 compliance with this subtitle shall forward a copy of the written notification of the 14
166166 completed transaction to the Secretary within 7 days after delivery of the regulated firearm. 15
167167
168168 (ii) The notification shall contain an identifying description of the 16
169169 regulated firearm, including its caliber, make, model, any manufacturer’s serial number, 17
170170 and any other special or peculiar characteristic or marking by which the regulated firearm 18
171171 may be identified. 19
172172
173173 (2) The Secretary shall maintain a permanent record of all notifications 20
174174 received of completed sales, rentals, and transfers of regulated firearms in the State. 21
175175
176176 (E) IF A LICENSEE DOES NO T SELL OR TRANSFER A REGULATED FIREARM 22
177177 TO A PROSPECTIVE PUR CHASER, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE BECAUSE THE 23
178178 PROSPECTIVE PURCHASE R, LESSEE, OR TRANSFEREE FAILED TO PASS A 24
179179 BACKGROUND CHECK , THE LICENSEE SHALL N OTIFY THE MARYLAND STATE 25
180180 POLICE GUN CENTER OF: 26
181181
182182 (1) THE IDENTITY OF THE PROSPECTIVE PURCHASE R, LESSEE, OR 27
183183 TRANSFEREE ; 28
184184
185185 (2) THE DATE AND TIME OF THE DENI AL; 29
186186
187187 (3) THE LOCATION WHERE T HE PROSPECTIVE PURCH ASER, LESSEE, 30
188188 OR TRANSFEREE SOUGHT TO OBTAIN THE FIREAR M; AND 31
189189
190190 (4) THE REASON OR REASON S FOR THE DENIAL . 32
191191 HOUSE BILL 869 5
192192
193193
194194 5–801. 1
195195
196196 (a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 2
197197
198198 (b) “Center” means the Maryland State Police Gun Center. 3
199199
200200 (c) “Crime firearm” means a firearm that is: 4
201201
202202 (1) used in the commission of a crime of violence, as defined in § 5–101 of 5
203203 this title; or 6
204204
205205 (2) recovered by a law enforcement agency in connection with illegal 7
206206 firearm possession, transportation, or transfer. 8
207207
208208 (d) “Department” means the Department of State Police. 9
209209
210210 (e) “Federally licensed firearms dealer” means a person licensed by the federal 10
211211 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to deal in firearms. 11
212212
213213 (f) “Federally licensed firearms importer” means a person licensed by the federal 12
214214 Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to import firearms. 13
215215
216216 (g) “Final protective order” has the meaning stated in § 4–501 of the Family Law 14
217217 Article. 15
218218
219219 (h) “Law enforcement agency” has the meaning stated in § 3–201 of this article. 16
220220
221221 (I) “LICENSEE” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 5–101 OF THIS TITLE. 17
222222
223223 5–802. 18
224224
225225 (a) The Center is established within the Department as a statewide firearms 19
226226 enforcement center for the tracking, screening, and vetting of all: 20
227227
228228 (1) firearm crimes committed in the State; [and] 21
229229
230230 (2) firearms surrendered under final protective orders in the State; AND 22
231231
232232 (3) BACKGROUND CHECK DEN IALS FOR FIREARM APP LICANTS IN THE 23
233233 STATE. 24
234234
235235 (b) This subtitle shall be liberally construed and applied to promote its underlying 25
236236 purposes and policies. 26
237237
238238 5–803. 27
239239 6 HOUSE BILL 869
240240
241241
242242 (a) The Center shall create and maintain a statewide database to track 1
243243 information on crimes committed with crime firearms [and], firearms surrendered under 2
244244 final protective orders in the State, AND BACKGROUND CHECK DENIALS FOR FIREARM 3
245245 APPLICANTS IN THE STATE. 4
246246
247247 (b) Each law enforcement agency shall report to the Center the following 5
248248 information on crimes committed in the jurisdiction of the law enforcement agency with 6
249249 crime firearms: 7
250250
251251 (1) the number and type of crime firearms; 8
252252
253253 (2) the jurisdictions where crime firearms are recovered; 9
254254
255255 (3) the sources of the crime firearms recovered, if discoverable, including: 10
256256
257257 (i) the federally licensed firearms importer; 11
258258
259259 (ii) the federally licensed firearms dealer; and 12
260260
261261 (iii) the first purchaser of the crime firearm; 13
262262
263263 (4) information regarding the individual found in possession of the crime 14
264264 firearm, including: 15
265265
266266 (i) the individual’s age; 16
267267
268268 (ii) the individual’s jurisdiction of residence; 17
269269
270270 (iii) the jurisdiction where the individual is charged; and 18
271271
272272 (iv) whether the individual was prohibited from possessing a firearm; 19
273273 and 20
274274
275275 (5) any other information requested by the Center. 21
276276
277277 (c) Each law enforcement agency shall report to the Center the following 22
278278 information on firearms surrendered under final protective orders issued in the jurisdiction 23
279279 of the law enforcement agency: 24
280280
281281 (1) the number and type of firearms; 25
282282
283283 (2) the jurisdictions where firearms are surrendered; and 26
284284
285285 (3) information regarding the individual who surrendered each firearm, 27
286286 including: 28
287287
288288 (i) the individual’s age; 29 HOUSE BILL 869 7
289289
290290
291291
292292 (ii) the individual’s jurisdiction of residence; and 1
293293
294294 (iii) any other information requested by the Center. 2
295295
296296 (d) The Center may require a law enforcement agency to report any other 3
297297 information relating to firearm crimes committed in the jurisdiction of the law enforcement 4
298298 agency to assist the Center in the tracking of firearm crimes committed in the State. 5
299299
300300 (e) THE SECRETARY OF STATE POLICE AND A LICENSEE IN THE STATE 6
301301 SHALL NOTIFY THE CENTER OF ANY BACKGRO UND CHECK DENIALS AS REQUIRED 7
302302 UNDER §§ 5–122 AND 5–123 OF THIS TITLE. 8
303303
304304 (F) The Center shall designate how often law enforcement agencies are required 9
305305 to report the information required under this section. 10
306306
307307 5–804. 11
308308
309309 (a) The Center shall coordinate with the Department and law enforcement 12
310310 agencies to screen and vet all firearm crimes committed in the State by: 13
311311
312312 (1) determining whether an individual charged with a firearm crime was 14
313313 prohibited from possessing a firearm; and 15
314314
315315 (2) recommending specific firearm charges to ensure that an individual 16
316316 charged with a firearm crime is appropriately charged. 17
317317
318318 (b) The Center shall assist the Department and law enforcement agencies with 18
319319 firearm enforcement and firearm violation reduction efforts. 19
320320
321321 (C) (1) THE CENTER SHALL NOTIFY L OCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 20
322322 AGENCIES, AS PROVIDED IN PARAG RAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION , OF ALL 21
323323 BACKGROUND CHECK DEN IALS REPORTE D UNDER § 5–803(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 22
324324
325325 (2) (I) THE CENTER SHALL NOTIFY L OCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT 23
326326 AGENCIES BASED ON : 24
327327
328328 1. THE CITY, COUNTY, AND ZIP CODE OF THE LICENSEE; 25
329329 OR 26
330330
331331 2. THE CITY, COUNTY, AND ZIP CODE OF THE 27
332332 PROSPECTIVE FIREARM APPLICANT’S LEGAL RESIDENCE IF DIFFERE NT FROM THE 28
333333 LICENSEE. 29
334334 8 HOUSE BILL 869
335335
336336
337337 (II) THE NOTICE REQUIRED U NDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS 1
338338 PARAGRAPH SHALL BE S ENT WITHIN 24 HOURS AND INCLUDE TH E FOLLOWING 2
339339 INFORMATION : 3
340340
341341 1. THE DATE AND TIME OF THE BACKGROUND CHECK 4
342342 DENIAL; 5
343343
344344 2. THE REASON OR REASONS FOR T HE DENIAL; 6
345345
346346 3. THE CITY, COUNTY, AND ZIP CODE OF THE LICENSEE; 7
347347 AND 8
348348
349349 4. THE IDENTITY OF THE PERSON DENIED . 9
350350
351351 (III) IF THE ORIGINAL BACKG ROUND CHECK DENIAL C HANGES 10
352352 IN STATUS, THE CENTER SHALL SEND AN UPDATED NOTICE TO AL L LAW 11
353353 ENFORCEMENT AGENCIES THAT RECEIVED THE OR IGINAL NOTICE. 12
354354
355355 (IV) THE NOTICE REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 13
356356 SUBSECTION MAY BE DE LAYED TO AVOID COMPR OMISING AN ACTIVE CR IMINAL 14
357357 INVESTIGATION . 15
358358
359359 (3) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING DECEMBER 16
360360 1, 2025, THE CENTER SHALL REPORT T O THE GOVERNOR AND , IN ACCORDANCE 17
361361 WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 18
362362 THE FOLLOWING INFORM ATION BASED ON DATA FROM THE PREVIOUS CA LENDAR 19
363363 YEAR: 20
364364
365365 (I) THE NUMBER OF BACKGR OUND CHECK DENIALS FOR 21
366366 FIREARM APPLICANTS I N THE STATE; 22
367367
368368 (II) THE COUNTIES WHERE T HE BACKGROUND CHECK DENIALS 23
369369 OCCURRED; AND 24
370370
371371 (III) THE REASON OR REASON S FOR THE BACKGROUND CHECK 25
372372 DENIALS. 26
373373
374374 SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 27
375375 October 1, 2024. 28
376376