For Immediate Release

Howard County Council endorses Maryland ban on assault rifles

January 7th, 2004

Baltimore, MD: CeaseFire Maryland, the state’s leading gun violence prevention group, welcomed the endorsement of the majority of the Howard County Council for a Maryland Ban on Assault Rifles during the forthcoming General Assembly session. Executive Director Leah Barrett said: “We are pleased that local leaders see the common sense in banning these semi-automatic weapons of war from our communities and we hope that state legislators will follow suit and pass a Maryland state ban in the coming session.”

The 1994 federal assault weapons ban will expire in just eight months on September 13th, 2004, unless Congress passes new legislation. Delegate Neil Quinter from Howard County, one of the sponsors of a state ban on military-style assault rifles along with Senator Rob Garagiola, welcomed the County Council majority’s endorsement saying, “It is unlikely Congress will do the right thing and reauthorize the federal ban. As a result, you will be able to buy AK47s, Uzis and Streetsweepers at your local gun shops in just a few months. These weapons do not belong on our streets. So we want to protect Marylanders by extending our 1994 ban on assault pistols to rifles.”

He continued: “Prince George’s County Police records show they are not seizing assault pistols from criminals anymore because they have been banned in Maryland for nearly ten years – the supply has dried up. But they are continuing to seize assault rifles. Our bill would help shut off the supply of these deadly weapons of war to criminals in Maryland.”

Assault weapons are the guns of choice for criminals and were used to kill one in five law enforcement officers slain during the line of duty between 1998 and 2001, according to FBI data. One of these deaths occurred in Maryland in 2000. Howard County Council Chairman, Guy Guzzone, remarked: “Assault weapons are designed to instill fear. They pose a very real threat to the public and to those who protect us. Do we really want the crime-fighters of society to be outgunned by the criminals?”

Barrett said: “Sportsmen will not be denied their firearms. Federal law provides specific protection to 670 types of hunting rifles and shotguns currently being manufactured. And the gun industry admits that assault weapons have limited sporting use.”

Finally, nearly two-thirds of Marylanders support banning these weapons of war. A March 2003 survey by Gonzales/Arscott Research found majorities in support of a ban in every demographic sub-group and across all ages and races.

CeaseFire Maryland is a statewide non-profit organization comprised of thousands of Marylanders working with a common mission – to free Maryland from gun violence.