Maryland legislators have been making progress on bipartisan bills intended to help fight Baltimore’s crime scourge. While not as complete as the full package originally proposed by Governor Hogan and the Republican caucus, significant components have remained. The Violent Firearm Offenders Act (SB273) was amended to include language from Sen. Mike Hough (R-Frederick) making the theft of a firearm a felony and increasing penalties for repeatedly illegally possessing a firearm, knowingly giving a gun to someone who plans to commit a crime and using a gun while drug trafficking.[i]
Other parts of the crime package address witness intimidation by making it easier for prosecutors to admit prior statements in court.[ii] Also, annual reporting on circuit court judge decisions will increase judicial transparency.[iii] However, the mandatory minimum sentences originally proposed by Governor Hogan were watered down significantly.[iv]
The legislature’s actions represent the “Good News.” However, the “Bad News” is that even as crime has soared since the 2015 riots, Baltimore’s criminal justice system fails to use the law enforcement tools already available to it.
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DelMarVa's Premier Source for News, Opinion, Analysis, and Human Interest Contact Publisher Joe Albero at alberobutzo@wmconnect.com or 410-430-5349
But if only criminals wouldn't use illegal guns. A gun law is never going to stop criminals from obtaining guns...period! But that's not the purpose of the gun laws a politician passes. It is to disarm law abiding citizens, or to make a law abiding citizen a criminal by the very act of owning a gun to protect yourself.
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