BALTIMORE — Baltimore is investigating 183 murders since the start of the year. There have been a rash of mass shootings, not only in Baltimore, but across the country, of recent.
That is part of the reason Baltimore leaders responded to Gov. Larry Hogan decision to halt restrictions on wear & carry permits in Maryland.
"We are extremely disappointed by the Governor’s eagerness to remove restrictions on wear & carry permits," Baltimore Mayor Brandon Scott and Police Commissioner Michael Harrison said in a joint statement.
Gov. Hogan on Tuesday ordered Maryland State Police to suspend part of its review process when issuing wear and carry firearm permits in Maryland.
See my statement with @baltimorepolice Commissioner Michael Harrison on what @govlarryhogan’s repealing of restrictions of wear & carry permits means for our city. More guns can never be the solution. Simply put, this makes it harder for us to do our jobs & keep residents safe. pic.twitter.com/ownZzpgbo2
— Brandon M. Scott (@MayorBMScott) July 6, 2022
It comes in light of a recent Supreme Court ruling that "proper cause," not be required when applying for a concealed carry permit.
RELATED: With similar concealed carry laws as New York, could SCOTUS ruling impact Maryland?
That decision stemmed out of New York and a law they had passed that required conceal carry applicants to “demonstrate a special need for self- protection distinguishable from that of the general community,” in order to obtain a permit.
That decision stemmed out of New York and a law they had passed that required conceal carry applicants to “demonstrate a special need for self- protection distinguishable from that of the general community,” in order to obtain a permit.
SEE ALSO:After SCOTUS ruling, GOP lawmakers aim to modify Maryland's "wear and carry" law
Maryland has since grappled with how to respond to the high court's opinion, considering the language in Maryland law is very similar to that of which was deemed unconstitutional in New York.
Previously, the Maryland State Police Licensing division required Wear and Carry Permit applicants to show "a good and substantial reason to wear, carry, or transport a handgun, such as finding that the permit is necessary as a reasonable precaution against danger."
Recently, seven people were killed in a shooting at a July 4 parade in Highland Park, Ill.
In 2022, America has had more than 300 mass shootings and 15 mass murders. There have been an average of 11 mass shootings each week. There were 692 mass shootings in 2021, according to CNN.
"Gun violence is on the rise across the country and making it easier for people struggling with mental illness, addiction, and alcoholism to carry guns on our streets cannot be the solution," Scott and Harrison stated.
As of Tuesday, at Hogan's direction that will no longer be part of the application process to obtain a permit.
In a statement, Hogan said New York's law was "virtually indistinguishable from Maryland law."
Hogan said it would be unconstitutional if he were to allow the law to continue being enforced.
Many including Maryland's GOP House Caucus and Republican Gubernatorial candidate Kelly Schulz had been calling on Attorney General Brian Frosh to declare the "good and substantial reason" part of the state law as "unconstitutional" and "unenforceable."
On June 30, Frosh reportedly advised State Police that the ‘good and substantial’ provision was unconstitutional, and that they no longer required to enforce that provision.
Mayor Scott and Commissioner Harrison said that this decision makes it tougher to keep guns off the street.
"We are focused on addressing the gun violence plaguing our communities, but this decision makes it harder for us to do our jobs," Scott and Harrison said. "We will work closely with the Maryland General Assembly to reestablish tougher gun laws across our state.”
For more information on what is still needed to obtain a permit, click here.
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