Maryland lawmakers on Tuesday will begin considering a series of gun control proposals.
The most controversial of the potential laws being considered is Senate Bill 1, also known as the Guns Safety Act of 2023.
That bill would prohibit a person from wearing or carrying a firearm within 100 feet of any public place, regardless of gun permit status. Public places as defined in the bill includes hotels, restaurants and other places that serve food, and retail locations.
Another bill up for consideration, Senate Bill 86, would raise the age limit for owning or renting a rifle or shotgun to age 21. If passed, anyone who violated the law could face a year in prison, a $1000 fine or both.
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Senate Bill 113 would allow victims of gun violence to sue manufacturers, or anyone else in the firearm industry who "knowingly and recklessly" creates, maintains, or contributes to public harm by trading guns.
Gun safety advocates rallied in Maryland's state capitol at the end of January, pressuring lawmakers to limit gun permits in the state. Maryland's new governor, Wes Moore, backed those protesters and spoke at their rally, joining Democratic legislators in supporting gun law reforms.
Republican lawmakers in the legislature are expected to oppose the measures.
