Bill > SB281

This bill, the Firearm Safety Act of 2013, makes several changes to Maryland firearm laws, including allowing off-duty law enforcement officers who are parents, guardians, or visitors to carry concealed handguns on public school property under specific conditions, and making it a misdemeanor to possess or use certain "restricted firearm ammunition" (defined as ammunition containing explosive or incendiary material with a core made of dense materials like tungsten or steel) during the commission of a crime of violence. It also expands the definition of "assault weapon" to include "assault long guns" and "copycat weapons" (semiautomatic rifles or pistols with certain features like pistol grips, folding stocks, or threaded barrels, and certain shotguns), and prohibits the transportation into the state or possession, sale, purchase, or transfer of these newly defined assault weapons, with exceptions for licensed dealers and individuals who lawfully possessed and registered certain firearms before specific dates. Additionally, the bill modifies existing provisions regarding handgun permits and the requirements for obtaining a Handgun Qualification License (HQL), including changes to training hours and eligibility criteria, and introduces new regulations for reporting certain mental health adjudications and commitments to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) index to prevent individuals deemed dangerous from possessing firearms. It also establishes a process for individuals disqualified due to mental health reasons to seek relief from that disqualification through the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, and requires owners to report lost or stolen regulated firearms within 72 hours.