EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0916*
HOUSE BILL 916
E4 5lr3366
By: Delegate Amprey
Introduced and read first time: January 31, 2025
Assigned to: Judiciary
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Weapon Crimes – Transporting Firearm in Checked Bag on 2
Public Transportation 3
FOR the purpose of prohibiting a person from transporting a firearm in a certain checked 4
bag on public transportation in the State unless the firearm is disabled from 5
discharging by a certain external safety lock; and generally relating to firearm 6
crimes. 7
BY adding to 8
Article – Criminal Law 9
Section 4–112 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 13
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 14
Article – Criminal Law 15
4–112. 16
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 17
INDICATED. 18
(2) “CHECKED BAG” MEANS BAGGAGE THAT I S STORED IN A STORAGE 19
COMPARTMENT OF A PUBLIC TRANSPOR TATION VEHICLE AND I NACCESSIBLE TO A 20
PERSON DURING TRAVEL . 21
(3) “EXTERNAL SAFETY LOCK ” MEANS AN EXTERNAL DE VICE THAT IS: 22
2 HOUSE BILL 916
(I) ATTACHED TO A FIREARM WITH A KEY OR COMBIN ATION 1
LOCK; AND 2
(II) DESIGNED TO PREVENT A FIREARM FROM BEING 3
DISCHARGED UNLESS TH E DEVICE HAS BEEN DE ACTIVATED. 4
(4) “FIREARM” HAS THE MEANING STAT ED IN § 4–104 OF THIS 5
SUBTITLE. 6
(5) “PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION ” INCLUDES ANY FORM OF PUBLIC 7
TRANSPORT THAT IS AVAILABLE TO THE GEN ERAL PUBLIC, INCLUDING: 8
(I) BUS SERVICE; 9
(II) TRAIN SERVICE; 10
(III) FERRY SERVICE ; AND 11
(IV) AIRLINE SERVICE . 12
(B) (1) THIS SUBSECTION IS AN ADDITION TO ANY EXISTING FEDERAL OR 13
STATE LAWS RELATING TO TRANSPORTING A FIREA RM. 14
(2) A PERSON MAY NOT TRANSPORT A FIREARM IN A CHECKED BAG 15
ON PUBLIC TRANSPORTATIO N IN THE STATE UNLESS THE FIREARM I S DISABLED 16
FROM DISCHARGING BY AN EXTERNAL SAFETY L OCK. 17
(C) (1) A PERSON WHO VIOLATES THIS SECTION IS GUILTY OF A 18
MISDEMEANOR AND ON C ONVICTION IS SUBJECT TO: 19
(I) FOR A FIRST CONVICTION, IMPRISONMENT NOT EXC EEDING 20
2 MONTHS OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $500 OR BOTH; 21
(II) FOR A SECOND CONVICTION, IMPRISONMENT NOT 22
EXCEEDING 6 MONTHS OR A FINE NOT EXCEED ING $1,000 OR BOTH; AND 23
(III) FOR A THIRD OR SUBSE QUENT CONVICTION, 24
IMPRISONMENT NOT EXC EEDING 1 YEAR OR A FINE NOT EXCEEDING $2,000 OR 25
BOTH. 26
(2) EACH VIOLATION OF THI S SECTION IS A SEPAR ATE CRIME. 27
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 28
October 1, 2025. 29