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JeniceProctorWeek2Assignment
Firearms Safety Act in the State of Maryland
Jenice Proctor
POL 201
Professor Jones
12/14/2014

Introduction

Gun control is an avid debate among American citizens, government leaders and politics in general. It’s a controversial area usually defined by gun control and gun control rights activists. These groups of individuals often disagree on interpretation of laws and court cases related to gun control rights and the effects of gun control on the public. This essay will examine some of the newest policies related to gun control and its effectiveness on a federal and local level.

Gun control generally is considered laws or policies that regulate the manufacture, sale, transfer, possession, modification, and use of firearms. High rates of homicides by way of firearms is the main reason why government officials are pushing for harder gun control measures. When you see news reports of school shootings such as Sandy Hook or Columbine, or the ridiculously number of high homicides by firearms, one can see why Congressional and government leaders are trying enact policies that limit gun control throughout the United States. States have various restrictions on the purchase, transportation, and possession of specific firearms. Federal law has made certain types of arms subject to special licenses and others illegal outright. Firearms that are illegal under Federal law cannot be legal under State law. Unfortunately, federal officials can’t come up with any uniform federal laws regarding gun control and therefore it falls on the states. Basically federal officials give an unfunded mandate for states to enact gun control measures. Congressional leaders with this mandate won’t give any money to fund these new measures throughout each state.
Gun control policies and measures seem to be divided on the federal level. Compromised legislation that would have banned semiautomatic weapons and expanded


References: 21 states push to overturn Maryland gun law | Maryland Daily Record. (2014, November 24). Retrieved from http://thedailyrecord.com/2014/11/24/21-states-push-to-overturn-md-gun-control-law/ DeMarco, V. (2014, November 26). Maryland gun control law - Baltimore Sun. Retrieved from http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/opinion/bs-ed-guns-demarco-letter-20141126-story.html Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence – Gun Law Information Experts. (2012, January 2). Retrieved from http://smartgunlaws.org/maryland-state-law-summary/ Witte, B. (2013, June 4). Maryland Gun Control Bill Passed By General Assembly, Headed To Governor Martin O 'Malley. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/04/04/maryland-gun-control-bill_n_3018087.html Zornick, G. (2014, October 6). Ashford University Library. Retrieved from http://eds.a.ebscohost.com.proxy-library.ashford.edu/eds/pdfviewer/pdfviewer?sid=8ade6d5c-4f8e-448b-9c03-2815e31d68f1%40sessionmgr4001&vid=2&hid=4213
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