MD Lawmakers push for tighter penalties; hope to reduce gun violence

ANNAPOLIS, Md. – Lawmakers are looking to crack down on gun regulation. To do that, they’re looking at creating stricter penalties for those who use a gun to commit a crime.

They’re calling it the “Repeat Firearms Offender Act of 2019,” or also known as House Bill 236.

Wicomico County Sheriff Mike Lewis attended Monday’s Gun Bill Day in Annapolis.
He said, “I support that bill 100%.”

Sponsoring Delegate Carl Anderton of District 38 B said, “It’s common sense.”

Second-Amendment advocates showing their support of House Bill 236.

It’s a bill that could ultimately prevent gun violence in Maryland, putting the emphasis on repeat offenders.

Del. Anderton said, “The whole point in curtailing gun violence is to have a proper deterrent.”

The deterrent refers to strict penalties for people who use a gun to commit violent crimes or felonies.

Sheriff Lewis said, “That’s one of the things we have to do that I consider common sense legislation: having stricter penalties for those criminals.”

With support from both lawmakers and local law enforcement, the stricter penalties would include a mandatory minimum sentence of five years behind bars not exceeding 20 for first time offenders, and a sentencing of anywhere between ten and 20 years for second time offenders.

Sheriff Lewis said, “We need to hold them accountable. Most of those that are committing these felonies are habitual criminals who have committed multiple crimes with extensive records and those are the ones we need to go after.”

Del. Anderton explains that by discouraging these repeat offenders from breaking the law, we can better protect public safety.

He said, “Maybe in that split second, somebody involved in a commission of a crime will say ‘Man this is 20 years. Is this worth 20 years?'”

If passed, the law would go into effect October 1st 2019.