Some members of Montgomery’s Senate delegation have criticized a bill with the potential to strengthen Montgomery County’s gun control laws.
The county’s eight senators this week expect to take up the legislation introduced by freshman Del. Roger Manno, D-District 19, that gives Montgomery County the ability to enact stricter firearms protections without forcing officials to do so.
Sen. Patrick J. Hogan, D- District 39, last week said he’d much prefer a statewide change to a local exemption, which has cast doubt about whether the enabling legislation will reach Annapolis.
New state senator Jamie Raskin, who represents Montgomery County’s District 20, said he realizes there’s some opposition but that he anticipates at least four or five of the eight senators are supportive, just as he is.
His position is that singling out Montgomery is the right call because the numerous rural counties in the state are less apt to make a change.
Raskin said that if there is considerable resistance in the county’s Senate delegation, he’s willing to back a statewide bill that calls for stiffer gun control laws.
However, Del. Manno is not so willing.
He told The Examiner last week he thinks the open-ended bill he authored probably is the only one that would stand a chance in Annapolis.
“As a rule of thumb, [gun control] has been deadlocked and difficult to pass statewide,” the delegate said. “This puts it in a better position to be passed.”
Before state office, Manno served for two years on Montgomery County’s Criminal Justice Commission and became aware of what he described as serious trends in the area of firearms possessions.
Based on police data, he said gun violations — murders, robberies, aggravated assaults and other violent offenses involving a gun — soared by 24 percent between 2004 and 2006.
“I see this as a countywide problem,” he said. “We border D.C. and have some of the challenges from that jurisdiction overflowing.”
