Following Advocacy by Maryland Moms Demand Action, Students Demand Action, Maryland House of Delegates Sends Ghost Guns Bill To Governor Hogan’s Desk

Action on This Significant Legislation Comes Following the Ghost Gun Shooting at Magruder High School, and Larger Trend of Gun Violence Across the Country Involving Untraceable Firearms

The Maryland chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement after the Maryland House of Delegates concurred with SB 387, a bill that would prohibit the possession or sale of ghost guns — do-it-yourself, untraceable firearms made from easy-to-get building blocks that can be purchased with no background check. This session, Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers and supporters drove hundreds of calls and emails in support of the bill. SB 387 will now go to Maryland Governor Larry Hogan’s desk for his signature.

“One thing is certain: ghost guns are an extreme threat to communities across Maryland, and it’s time for that to change,” said Melissa Ladd, a volunteer leader with the Maryland chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Thanks to tireless advocacy by gun safety champions and allies, our state now has a clear path to prohibiting these dangerous, untraceable weapons. We are grateful to lawmakers in the House for their steadfast commitment throughout this process to ending gun violence, and we urge Governor Hogan to sign the bill into law and make Maryland a safer place.”
In January, a ghost gun was used in the shooting at Magruder High School, which left one student critically injured. This incident stands as part of a larger trend in-state and across the country of gun violence involving ghost guns.

In an average year in Maryland, 743 people die by guns and 1,747 people are wounded. Gun violence costs Maryland $5.7 billion each year, of which $375.8 million is paid by taxpayers. More information on gun violence in Maryland is available here.