For Immediate Release

March 19, 2003

We understand Governor Ehrlich stated yesterday (March 18th) in his press conference on Project Exile, a bill that would fast track gun cases into the federal criminal justice system, that Marylanders Against Handgun Abuse (MAHA) supports this bill.

We would like to state for the record that MAHA has not taken a position on Project Exile during this General Assembly session. The evidence is mixed on whether stricter sentencing and penalties for gun violations actually reduce gun crime (Cook & Ludwig, ‘Evaluating Gun Policy’, Brooking Institution Press, 2003).

Project Exile pays no attention to how guns actually flow into a community and it fails to target those responsible. That’s why MAHA strongly supports three bills before the General Assembly designed to reduce the number of illegal guns entering Maryland – banning military-style assault weapons (SB 494), ballistic fingerprinting of long guns (SB 208) and mandatory loss and theft reporting for handguns (SB 528).

Prosecution after the fact is inadequate. Maryland needs common sense measures that prevent gun death and injury in the first place.