| Old | New | Differences | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 1 | ||
| 2 | 2 | ||
| 3 | 3 | EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW. | |
| 4 | 4 | [Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law. | |
| 5 | - | Underlining indicates amendments to bill. | |
| 6 | - | Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by | |
| 7 | - | amendment. | |
| 8 | 5 | *sb0449* | |
| 9 | 6 | ||
| 10 | 7 | SENATE BILL 449 | |
| 11 | 8 | M2 5lr2519 | |
| 12 | 9 | SB 611/24 – EEE CF HB 511 | |
| 13 | - | By: Senator Folden | |
| 10 | + | By: Senator Folden | |
| 14 | 11 | Introduced and read first time: January 21, 2025 | |
| 15 | 12 | Assigned to: Education, Energy, and the Environment | |
| 16 | - | Committee Report: Favorable with amendments | |
| 17 | - | Senate action: Adopted | |
| 18 | - | Read second time: February 28, 2025 | |
| 19 | 13 | ||
| 20 | - | ||
| 14 | + | A BILL ENTITLED | |
| 21 | 15 | ||
| 22 | 16 | AN ACT concerning 1 | |
| 23 | 17 | ||
| 24 | 18 | Frederick and Washington Counties – Bow Hunting – Openly Carrying 2 | |
| 25 | 19 | Handguns 3 | |
| 26 | 20 | ||
| 27 | 21 | FOR the purpose of prohibiting the Department of Natural Resources from prohibiting 4 | |
| 28 | 22 | certain licensed bow hunters from openly carrying a handgun under certain 5 | |
| 29 | 23 | circumstances in Frederick County and Washington County during deer hunting 6 | |
| 30 | 24 | season; and generally relating to bow hunting in Frederick County and Washington 7 | |
| 31 | 25 | County. 8 | |
| 32 | 26 | ||
| 33 | 27 | BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 9 | |
| 34 | 28 | Article – Natural Resources 10 | |
| 35 | 29 | Section 10–408 11 | |
| 36 | 30 | Annotated Code of Maryland 12 | |
| 37 | 31 | (2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 13 | |
| 38 | 32 | ||
| 39 | 33 | SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 14 | |
| 40 | 34 | That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 15 | |
| 41 | 35 | ||
| 42 | 36 | Article – Natural Resources 16 | |
| 43 | 37 | ||
| 44 | 38 | 10–408. 17 | |
| 45 | 39 | ||
| 46 | 40 | (a) In this section, “handgun” means a firearm: 18 | |
| 47 | 41 | ||
| 48 | - | (1) With a barrel length not exceeding 6 inches; and 19 2 SENATE BILL 449 | |
| 42 | + | (1) With a barrel length not exceeding 6 inches; and 19 | |
| 43 | + | ||
| 44 | + | (2) That does not have a scope or an electronic device attached. 20 | |
| 45 | + | ||
| 46 | + | (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Department 21 | |
| 47 | + | shall: 22 | |
| 48 | + | 2 SENATE BILL 449 | |
| 49 | 49 | ||
| 50 | 50 | ||
| 51 | + | (i) Prescribe by regulation the means or weapons for hunting 1 | |
| 52 | + | designated wildlife; and 2 | |
| 51 | 53 | ||
| 52 | - | (2) That does not have a scope or an electronic device attached. 1 | |
| 54 | + | (ii) Set forth any restrictions relating to weapons used to hunt 3 | |
| 55 | + | designated wildlife, including the amount and size of ammunition for designated game 4 | |
| 56 | + | birds or mammals. 5 | |
| 53 | 57 | ||
| 54 | - | (b) (1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, the Department 2 | |
| 55 | - | shall: 3 | |
| 58 | + | (2) The Department may not prohibit a licensed bow hunter from openly 6 | |
| 59 | + | carrying a handgun that the hunter is otherwise authorized to carry under § 4–203 of the 7 | |
| 60 | + | Criminal Law Article if the bow hunter: 8 | |
| 56 | 61 | ||
| 57 | - | (i) Prescribe by regulation the means or weapons for hunting 4 | |
| 58 | - | designated wildlife; and 5 | |
| 62 | + | (i) Is at least 21 years old; 9 | |
| 59 | 63 | ||
| 60 | - | (ii) Set forth any restrictions relating to weapons used to hunt 6 | |
| 61 | - | designated wildlife, including the amount and size of ammunition for designated game 7 | |
| 62 | - | birds or mammals. 8 | |
| 64 | + | (ii) Is hunting in [deer]: 10 | |
| 63 | 65 | ||
| 64 | - | (2) The Department may not prohibit a licensed bow hunter from openly 9 | |
| 65 | - | carrying a handgun that the hunter is otherwise authorized to carry under § 4–203 of the 10 | |
| 66 | - | Criminal Law Article if the bow hunter: 11 | |
| 66 | + | 1. DEER management Region A as defined by the 11 | |
| 67 | + | Department’s Guide to Hunting and Trapping; OR 12 | |
| 67 | 68 | ||
| 68 | - | (i) Is at least 21 years old; 12 | |
| 69 | + | 2. FREDERICK COUNTY OR WASHINGTON COUNTY 13 | |
| 70 | + | DURING DEER HUNTING SEASON; 14 | |
| 69 | 71 | ||
| 70 | - | ( | |
| 72 | + | (iii) Is carrying the handgun for personal protection; and 15 | |
| 71 | 73 | ||
| 72 | - | | |
| 73 | - | ||
| 74 | + | (iv) Does not use the handgun to kill wildlife wounded by a vertical 16 | |
| 75 | + | bow or crossbow. 17 | |
| 74 | 76 | ||
| 75 | - | | |
| 76 | - | ||
| 77 | + | (c) The Department shall make the regulations available for distribution with 18 | |
| 78 | + | each hunting license purchased. 19 | |
| 77 | 79 | ||
| 78 | - | (iii) Is carrying the handgun for personal protection; and 18 | |
| 80 | + | (d) This section does not authorize the Department to restrict the use of firearms 20 | |
| 81 | + | except in the activity of hunting designated wildlife. 21 | |
| 79 | 82 | ||
| 80 | - | (iv) Does not use the handgun to kill wildlife wounded by a vertical 19 | |
| 81 | - | bow or crossbow. 20 | |
| 82 | - | ||
| 83 | - | (c) The Department shall make the regulations available for distribution with 21 | |
| 84 | - | each hunting license purchased. 22 | |
| 85 | - | ||
| 86 | - | (d) This section does not authorize the Department to restrict the use of firearms 23 | |
| 87 | - | except in the activity of hunting designated wildlife. 24 | |
| 88 | - | ||
| 89 | - | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 25 | |
| 90 | - | 1, 2025. 26 | |
| 91 | - | ||
| 92 | - | ||
| 83 | + | SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, T hat this Act shall take effect July 22 | |
| 84 | + | 1, 2025. 23 | |
| 93 | 85 |