Bill > SB300

This bill establishes a specific felony offense for theft of a handgun, creating distinct penalties and sentencing guidelines. Under the new law, a person convicted of stealing a handgun (as defined in the Public Safety Article) will face different criminal penalties based on the number of prior convictions: for a first conviction, they can be imprisoned for up to 5 years or fined up to $1,000, or both; for a second or subsequent conviction, they can be imprisoned for up to 10 years or fined up to $2,500, or both. Importantly, the bill mandates that any sentence for handgun theft must be served separately and consecutively to any other sentence the person might be serving, which means the handgun theft sentence will be added on top of any existing sentences. This provision appears designed to create a more severe punishment specifically targeting handgun theft, potentially as a deterrent to gun-related crimes. The bill will take effect on October 1, 2025, giving law enforcement and the judicial system time to prepare for the new legal requirement.

Justice

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/SB0300?ys=2025RS