Maryland gets tough on guns

Among the toughest gun laws in the nation, Gov. Martin O’Malley’s
wide-ranging legislation passed the General Assembly just four months
after the mass shooting of grade-school children in Newtown, CT.

Following enactment of equally strict regulations in New York state,
the law requires first-time handgun purchasers to undergo training, be
fingerprinted, and obtain a permit.

It also limits ammunition magazines to 10 rounds and bans 45
different kinds of semi-automatic assault-style rifles, including all
versions and knockoffs of the popular AR-15 (such as the Bushmaster used
at Newtown) and the civilian version of the AK-47.

Also new: It bans sales to those being treated for mental illness and those on probation before judgment for violent crimes.

But the debate probably isn’t over: Despite losing a bid for an
injunction to delay the law, look for gun-rights groups to challenge it
in federal court.

“To beat a cliché, the fat lady hasn’t even taken the stage.”
—Shannon Alford, Maryland liaison to the National Rifle Association