Monday, February 18, 2008

Encoded Ammunition: Maryland - They're Baaack!

Maryland Shall Issue has some new information, as well as a link to all the "encoded ammunition" articles here. The nice thing is that they have the 'local' take on House Bill 517.

I was not aware that the Encoded Ammunition bill of 2007 (which had died in committee as a result of the usual Sunset clause) was re-introduced in 2008. On January 1, 2008, in point of fact.

The Maryland bill, having been read into record, is in the Judiciary Ways & Means committee, and there will be a First Hearing on February 26, 2008, at 1pm.

All of the 'usual suspect' clauses are in HB217 (PDF): applies to "regulated firearms" (45 brands/models defined, including several shotguns and I have no idea how to encode #9 shot! but there is a clause which exempts these firearms; only encoded ammunition to be sold as of 1/1/09; all uncoded ammunition to be "disposed of" (no compensation) by 1/1/11; penalties for manufacturers, retailers and private citizens; both bullet and cartridge case must be encoded, but no requirement that the case be encoded 'on the inside'; exemptions for LEO and military; tax relief of 0.5% of sales for retailer; bill to be effective 7/1/08.

I apologize for telling you that the Maryland bill had failed. It had, but this is the "Night of the Living Dead version (2.0).

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