ANNAPOLIS, Md. — A new passed bill banning untraceable firearms, also known as ghost guns, will go into law without Governor Larry Hogan's signature.
Introduced earlier this year in the Maryland General Assembly, the new law prohibits anyone from buying, selling or transferring an unfinished firearm frame or receiver that's missing a serial number.
Hogan called the law "a positive step as we seek to stem the tide of violent crime," but said "it does nothing to penalize those who actually pull the trigger on firearms."
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To achieve that accountability, Hogan for years now has called on state lawmakers to pass the Violent Firearms Offender Act (HB 423/SB 396), which he claims would toughen penalties for offenders who use and illegally possess firearms to commit crimes, as well as those supplying them.
The Governor is also calling on the State Legislature to finally pass the Judicial Transparency Act (SB 392), which has already unanimously passed the Senate but stalled in the House of Delegates. That measure would publish and track the sentences imposed by judges for violent crime convictions.
As the 2022 session comes to a close, Hogan is challenging lawmakers to at least hold votes on the two bills so their constituents know where they stand on those policies.
"At the very least, I ask you to give the victims and their families a vote, so that legislators can explain to their constituents where they stand on this issue,” said Hogan.
