Thank you for contacting my office regarding House Bill 52. This bill was heard in my committee (Judiciary) this week.
As usual, the bill sponsor and supporters were grilled extensively by several members of the Judiciary Committee. These members look unfavorably on most second amendment rights issues that come before them. Their criminal law practices tend to make them much more sympathetic to defendants than victims. Further they are very untrusting of the average citizen having the right to protect themselves, instead believing that the police are the only proper defense against violent attack. The chairman of the committee, Delegate Joe Vallario, is the staunchest of the opponents of these issues. This year he faces a serious challenge in his Democratic primary from a former policeman whose outlook is likely to be quite different than his own on such matters. We will see how this challenge affects his position on this bill in this election year. You can let him know your opinion by emailing him at
joe.vallerio@house.state.md.us. You can follow the progress of the bill at Fans of HB 52: Maryland Recognition of Out of State Concealed Carry Permits on Facebook. I am on Facebook as well.
I am supporting this bill and will vote for it if Joe Vallario releases it for a vote.. Police arrive late to the scene when a victim has already suffered life changing or life ending injuries. Police are a deterrent, but so are unknown armed citizens. A criminal can not be sure that a chosen victim is not armed or that he might be shot by an armed bystander.
