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House committee hears broad testimony supporting ban on easily converted pistols in Maryland
Summary
Supporters told the House Judiciary Committee that small devices known as "Glock switches" make some handguns easily convertible into fully automatic weapons and urged a favorable report on House Bill 1287; prosecutors and Baltimore and Prince George’s City officials described growing recoveries of conversion devices and incidents involving them.
A House Judiciary Committee hearing in March 2025 drew extensive testimony in favor of House Bill 1287, which would ban the manufacture, sale and transfer in Maryland of “convertible pistols” — semi‑automatic handguns that can be turned into fully automatic weapons by attaching a small device commonly called a Glock switch.
Supporters said the devices are inexpensive, easily 3‑D printed and have been linked to recent shootings in Maryland. Delegate Nicole Williams of District 22, the bill’s sponsor, told the committee: "This bill would prohibit a person from manufacturing, selling, offering for sale, purchasing, receiving, or transferring in Maryland a certain convertible pistol, which is a semi automatic pistol that has been converted into a machine gun solely by attaching a switch, that is a type of auto sear." She urged a favorable report.
Nut graf: Proponents — including Baltimore and Prince George’s County prosecutors, public‑safety officials, university students and advocacy groups — framed the bill as…
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