Annapolis, MD – January 29, 2020 – The House Minority Caucus yesterday issued a statement regarding bills coming before the House of Delegates this week, purported to address the crisis of violent crime in Maryland.
One bill, House Bill 4, focuses on the sale of rifles and shotguns in Maryland. The second bill deals with Maryland’s Handgun Permit Review Board, as the General Assembly will debate overriding the Governor’s veto of this bill that passed last year.
“None of these bills will make any headway in addressing the ongoing crisis of violent crime in our state,” said House Minority Leader Nic Kipke. “Trying to make the public believe these bills will keep them safe, that they will stop the daily bloodshed is beyond disingenuous, it is fundamentally untrue.”
“The vast majority of people committing murder in Baltimore City and elsewhere in our state are not the people applying for conceal-carry permits, they are not the people lending their friend a shotgun to go hunting,” said House Minority Whip Kathy Szeliga. “The overwhelming majority of homicides are committed with handguns that are illegally purchased and illegally possessed. Why is the Democrat leadership in the Maryland General Assembly ignoring reality?”
“Of the 348 homicides in Baltimore City last year, 87% were committed using handguns,” said Delegate Kipke. “The General Assembly would do better to regulate knives and sharp objects which were used twice as often in city homicides than shotguns last year. This legislation is worse than doing nothing, it misleads people into thinking they will be safer once passed and signed into law, and that is just shameful.”
The House Minority Caucus will be further addressing both of these bills tomorrow at a press conference following the morning floor session. A media advisory will be sent with the details.
