Listen to this articleLAWS SIGNED TO RESTRICT WHO & WHERE FOR CONCEALED-CARRY OF GUNS: Maryland’s gun laws are about to be stricter, as Gov. Wes Moore on Tuesday put his signature on measures that limit who can get concealed carry handgun permits and where they can be used. The bills, sponsored by Democratic lawmakers, are a direct response to last summer’s U.S. Supreme Court ruling that forced the state to abandon its standard that gun owners show a “good and substantial reason” to get a concealed carry permit. Pamela Wood/The Baltimore Banner.
- Since the ruling, the number of people now allowed to carry concealed guns in public has more than tripled, according to data from the Maryland State Police. Approved concealed carry permits skyrocketed from 39,797 on July 1 to 125,233 as of last week, enough new permit holders to fill every seat in Camden Yards stadium nearly twice over. Erin Cox/The Washington Post.
- Senate Minority Leader Stephen S. Hershey Jr. (R-Upper Shore) and Senate Minority Whip Justin Ready (R-Carroll) released a statement criticizing Democratic leaders for not enacting “common sense legislation targeting repeat, violent offenders.” William Ford/Maryland Matters.
- This was Moore’s final bill-signing ceremony of the year. The prohibitions include firearms in public spaces such as schools, bars, restaurants, performance venues, polling places and more. Sam Janesch and Hannah Gaskill/The Baltimore Sun.
NRA FILES SUIT AGAINST MARYLAND ON GUN LAWS: The NRA’s lobbying arm filed a lawsuit against the state of Maryland Tuesday after Democratic Gov. Wes Moore signed a pair of gun control bills that the NRA says will prevent law-abiding citizens from carrying for self-defense purposes. Emma Colton/Fox News.
MOORE RESTARTS EFFORTS TO BRING FBI HQ TO PRINCE GEORGE’S: Efforts to bring a large-scale opportunity for equity and economic advancement to Prince George’s County – the national headquarters of the FBI – have begun again under the new administration of Maryland Gov. Wes Moore. “Gov. Moore has made this his number one federal issue,” Matthew Verghese, the governor’s senior advisor and director of federal relations, said. Tashi McQueen/The Afro.
FEW FREDERICK STAR POLITICIANS INTERESTED IN RUNNING FOR U.S. HOUSE: Some well-known political names in Frederick County said they don’t plan to run for the county’s congressional seat, which will be open next year as U.S. Rep. David Trone runs for the U.S. Senate. “I am not at all interested [in] getting into that race,” Democratic state Sen. Karen Lewis Young, of District 3, said Tuesday. Former state Sen. Michael Hough — a Republican who represented District 4 from 2015 to January and narrowly lost a race for Frederick County executive in November — also said he is not interested in running for Congress. Ryan Marshall/The Frederick News Post.
COMMENTARY: HARRIS BREAKS ANOTHER PROMISE: You won’t be surprised to learn that Congressman Andy Harris is among five Republicans who broke their promise to voters on fiscal responsibility. Considering Harris broke his term limits pledge when he ran for a seventh term in 2022, voters should not be surprised that Harris broke yet another promise to the people of Maryland’s 1st District. Brian Griffiths/The Duckpin.
UM POLICE PROBE HATE BIAS INCIDENTS ON CAMPUS: The University of Maryland Police Department is investigating a hate bias incident report at La Plata Hall where racial slurs against the Black community were found written in multiple locations. Natalie Weger/The Diamondback.
PITTMAN MAKES 2nd TRY FOR PUBLIC CAMPAIGN FINANCE LAW: Anne Arundel County Executive Steuart Pittman began his second attempt to pass public campaign finance legislation at Monday night’s County Council meeting after his efforts to get it on the ballot failed in 2022. Dana Munro/The Capital Gazette.
WA CO COMMISSIONERS APPROVE FISCAL YEAR BUDGETS: The Washington County Commissioners gave final approval Tuesday to the county’s operating and capital budgets with no changes from the draft presented last week, and no tax increases. Approved were the $333.4 million operating budget and the $56 million capital budget. The budgets are for fiscal year 2024, which begins July 1. Tamela Baker/The Hagerstown Herald Mail.
B’MORE COUNCIL BEGINS MULLING MAYOR’s $4.4B BUDGET: Baltimore City Council will begin considering Mayor Brandon Scott’s proposed $4.4 billion budget this week, following the document’s formal introduction to the council Monday. Emily Opilo/The Baltimore Sun.
MO CO TAPS NEW CHAIR FOR EMBATTLED PLANNING BOARD: Seven months of wayfinding for Montgomery County leaders with often clashing visions for restoring trust in the county’s planning board culminated Tuesday in the selection of Artie L. Harris Jr. as board chair. Harris, vice president of a nonprofit housing developer, edged out former county council member Hans Riemer to round out the board, alongside four others recently picked to relaunch an institution rocked by scandal last year. Katie Shepherd/The Washington Post.
