07/21/2026
Bill 23-26 passed today in Montgomery County. Bill 23-26 plainly exceeds the County's power as limited by the Maryland Supreme Court's decision in Engage Armament. The County's attempt to limit the rights of persons who have carry permits issued by the Maryland State Police is a gross violation of the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution, as most recently construed by the Supreme Court of the United States in Wolford v. Lopez. As the Supreme Court stated in Wolford, "the Second Amendment protects the right of Americans to carry arms for self-defense as they go about their daily lives." If signed into law by the County Executive, the Bill will be promptly challenged in federal district court and will be enjoined by that court. The County will then be on the hook for substantial attorney's fees and costs, as allowed by federal law. The County simply fails to grasp that the Second Amendment applies to Montgomery County no less than to any other part of the United States.