Posted on 08/12/2012 12:56:02 PM PDT by neverdem
ANNAPOLIS — Responding to a court decision that could scrap the state law requiring concealed-carry permit applicants to provide "good and substantial reason" for needing firearms, a Baltimore lawmaker wants to require handgun owners to complete a training course.
Sen. William C. Ferguson IV, a Democrat, introduced a bill Thursday that would require the training and prohibit permit holders from carrying guns in places like churches, bars and movie theaters.
He said the bill is aimed at ensuring permit holders are responsible arms owners. An April U.S. District Court ruling could increase availability of state gun permits by removing the requirement for applicants to prove they need a gun for work or protection from a specific documented threat.
The ruling is currently shelved until the U.S. 4th Circuit Court of Appeals hears the case in October.
"I think gun advocates and folks in favor of gun control should both agree that if you're going to carry a gun and it's concealed, you certainly should be trained with it beforehand," he said.
Maryland law does not currently require handgun-permit applicants to get training. The bill would require applicants to complete training six months before requesting a permit, but would exempt law enforcement and military members.
Mr. Ferguson's bill is unlikely to pass during the special session, which is expected to end Tuesday and will focus almost entirely on bills to expand gambling and protect pit bull owners.
The senator said he hopes to at least start a discussion that could lead to a work group on the issue this fall and legislation next year.
Delegate Michael D. Smigiel Sr., Cecil Republican, said there has been bipartisan interest in requiring handgun training if the district court ruling is upheld. However, Mr. Smigiel has some issues with Mr. Ferguson's bill and is expected...
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtontimes.com ...
AGRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR! “and prohibit permit holders from carrying guns in places like churches, bars and movie theaters.”.......................... AGRRRRRRRRR! Yeah, lets leave people completely helpless so a Perp or terrorist has no problem killing them all. Only a genius Democrat would suggest something like that. I bet he carries and has a body guard too.
Someone needs to send this guy some pro-firearms information to read. Pretty sure his staffers only let him see Brady pamphlets.
The people of MD should fight for their freedom.
“good and substantial reason”................................ What just Living in Baltimore isn’t enough?? Another Baltimore politician with his head up his duppa.
Is Maryland resigned to shall issue concealed carry? The other states in the 4th Circuit have it: VA, WV and NC, IIRC. I don’t think O’Malley would sign a law for shall issue until MD took it to the Supreme Court, unless it had a naked man provision like in Colorado, i.e. the applicant is an obvious nut job. He might refuse to sign it even with such a provision.
“....requiring concealed-carry permit applicants to provide “good and substantial reason” for needing firearms....”
.
Whaaat? Isn’t the high crime rate good enough reason for CC?
Will all the elites have to justify the firearms carried by their body guards?
Probably a good idea. And I'm sure we can all agree that anything that most people describe as a "good idea" should definitely be mandated by the government and their betters' activities tracked.
[do I really need a /s here?]
The bill would require applicants to complete training six months before requesting a permit, but would exempt law enforcement and military members.
So let me see if I have this straight: rights for free people, not so much; rights for free people's employees, absolutely! Is that about it?
If only they could get their hands on some guns....
well, the insane will know where the sane are not permitted to carry guns, won’t they? Easy pickings..
Guess the Colorado movie shooter might have been deterred if he knew we wasnt allowed to carry guns in the movie theater! Schizophrenics are usually so law abiding
If this publicly elected, pustule were serious about additional firearms training, he would push to have it implemented in public schools where kids could learn safe gun handling and make a choice about ownership when they grow up. If he is serious about people making responsible carry decisions, he would push for classes on American Citizenship and Responsibility at the classroom level. The need for “target rich” safe zones for perpetrators would disappear.
Personal Responsibility is an anathema to community organizers.
They have guns. Mostly they are not allowed to take them for the homes.
The Second Amendment is a "good and substatial reason. If it's a right you don't need a reason.
There were two incidents in Texas: one before and one after the church prohibition was removed. In the first one, several people were killed. In the second one, only the perp got killed.
Libscum don’t care about such things as facts, though. After all, for them this isn’t about crime or public safety, it’s about power and control.
substantial
Thanks for the correction.
Hell, there's so many AR15s in the hands of civilians now that the Swiss model of civilian training might serve as a better option than this enormously massive US military structure that we presently have where only a Navy (and, by proxy, a Marine Corps) is authorized specifically in the US Constitution.
It sure would save us a lot of money and blood if the American army wasn't running all over the planet like a Meals On Wheels with guns program ever since the end of WWII.
With 20 trillion in deficit, we have to take a hard look at this if we're going to be honest.
The bill should be named "The Mass-Murderer Protection Act."
Welcome, but is was meant as a suplement. You didn’t need any correction to your excellent post.
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