Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Expedited Bill 23 26 topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Committee advances amended ghost‑gun restrictions to full council to align county law with Maryland Supreme Court opinion
Summary
The Montgomery County Public Safety Committee adopted amendments to expedited bill 23‑26 to align county code chapter 57 with a Maryland Supreme Court decision; the committee approved the bill as amended and will send it to the full council for further action.
The Montgomery County Public Safety Committee on Monday adopted amendments to expedited bill 23‑26 and advanced the corrected ordinance language to the full council to preserve enforceable restrictions on firearms near minors and in or near places of public assembly.
Wellens, a legislative staff member, said the amendments are intended to bring the county code into conformity with the Maryland Supreme Court opinion in Engage Armament LLC v. Montgomery County, which found some earlier local provisions exceeded the county’s authority. The bill’s fixes include clarifying an exemption for firearms in vehicles to mirror state law language and aligning county code sections 57‑10 and 57‑11 so the local rules do not have extraterritorial effect.
"The purpose of this bill again is to bring our county law in line with the Supreme Court opinion," Wellens told the committee, stressing the goal of preserving enforceable local restrictions while avoiding language the court found invalid.
Council Member Lukey and other members endorsed the approach as corrective rather than a wholesale rewrite and emphasized that the changes are intended to fit within the limits of Maryland law. Lukey noted the bill does not conflict with federal LEOSA protections or with state rules protecting possession on private property. "There is nothing in this bill which conflicts with a federal statute known as LEOSA," Lukey said.
The committee adopted the proposed amendments by motion, then approved the bill as amended to send to full council by acclamation; members indicated unanimous support. The measure now advances to the full council for additional consideration and any final vote.
What happens next: the bill, as amended, will be scheduled for full-council briefing and potential votes; staff advised the committee that the vehicle exemption language could be further refined to mirror state statutory terms to strengthen legal defensibility.
