HB0094 • 2026

Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Expiration and Renewal Periods for Retired Law Enforcement Officer

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Delegates Valentine and Simmons
Last action: 2026-05-12
Official status: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 454
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not specify the exact requirements or process for renewals beyond meeting certain qualifications, leaving some details unclear.

Handgun Permits for Retired Law Enforcement Officers

This law sets special expiration and renewal rules for handgun permits given to retired law enforcement officers who left their jobs in good standing.

What This Bill Does

Establishes that a handgun permit for a retired officer expires on the last day of the month when they were born, five years after getting the permit.
Allows retired officers to renew their permits every five years if they meet certain qualifications.
Removes fees for retired law enforcement officers who apply for or renew their handgun permits.

Who It Names or Affects

Retired law enforcement officers from the state, counties, and cities of Maryland.

Terms To Know

Permit: A document that allows someone to carry a handgun legally.
Good standing: Leaving a job in a satisfactory manner without any issues or problems.

Limits and Unknowns

The law only applies to retired officers who left their jobs in good standing.
It does not change the rules for active police officers or other citizens applying for handgun permits.
Details about how to apply and what qualifications are needed for renewal are not specified.

Bill History

2026-05-12 Post Passage
Approved by the Governor - Chapter 454
2026-04-08 Senate
Favorable Report by Judicial Proceedings
2026-03-24 House
Returned Passed
2026-03-21 Senate
Third Reading Passed (39-0)
2026-03-19 Senate
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-03-13 House
Favorable Report by Judiciary
2026-03-05 House
Third Reading Passed (131-2)
2026-03-03 Senate
Referred Judicial Proceedings
2026-03-01 House
Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed
2026-01-16 House
Hearing 1/28 at 2:00 p.m.
2026-01-16 House
Hearing canceled
2026-01-16 House
Hearing 1/28 at 1:00 p.m.
2026-01-14 House
First Reading Judiciary
2025-10-31 House
Pre-filed
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Expiration and Renewal Periods for Retired Law Enforcement Officer
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - House - Committee - Judiciary
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Third - Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Expiration and Renewal Periods for Retired Law Enforcement Officer
Maryland General Assembly
Vote - Senate - Committee - Judicial Proceedings
Maryland General Assembly
Text - Chapter - Public Safety - Handgun Permits - Expiration and Renewal Periods for Retired Law Enforcement Officer

Official Summary Text

Establishing alternative expiration and renewal periods for a handgun permit issued to a retired law enforcement officer who retired in good standing from service with a law enforcement agency of the State or a county or municipal corporation of the State; and providing that a handgun permit issued to a law enforcement officer who retired in good standing expires on the last day of the holder's birth month following 5 years after the date the permit is issued and may be renewed for successive periods of 5 years under certain circumstances.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0094*

HOUSE BILL 94
E4 6lr1525
HB 171/25 – JUD (PRE–FILED) CF SB 331
By: Delegates Valentine and Simmons
Requested: October 31, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 1, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Safety – Handgun Permits – Expiration and Renewal Periods for Retired 2
Law Enforcement Officer 3

FOR the purpose of establishing alternative expiration and renewal periods for a handgun 4
permit issued to a certain retired law enforcement officer; and generally relating to 5
handgun permits. 6

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Public Safety 8
Section 5–301(a) and (c) and 5–304(b)(1) and (d)(2) 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 12
Article – Public Safety 13
Section 5–309 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 17
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 18

Article – Public Safety 19

2 HOUSE BILL 94

5–301. 1

(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 2

(c) “Permit” means a permit issued by the Secretary to carry, wear, or transport 3
a handgun. 4

5–304. 5

(b) (1) Subject to subsections (c) and (d) of this section, the Secretary may 6
charge a nonrefundable fee payable when an application is filed for a permit. 7

(d) The Secretary may not charge a fee under subsection (b) of this section to: 8

(2) a retired law enforcement officer of the State or a county or municipal 9
corporation of the State. 10

5–309. 11

(a) Except as provided in [subsection] SUBSECTIONS (d) AND (E) of this section, 12
a permit expires on the last day of the holder’s birth month following 2 years after the date 13
the permit is issued. 14

(b) [Subject] EXCEPT AS PROVIDED IN SUBSECTION (E) OF THIS SECTION 15
AND SUBJECT to subsection (c) of this section, a permit may be renewed for successive 16
periods of 3 years each if, at the time of an application for renewal, the applicant possesses 17
the qualifications for the issuance of a permit and pays the renewal fee stated in thi s 18
subtitle. 19

(c) A person who applies for a renewal of a permit is not required to be 20
fingerprinted unless the Secretary requires a set of the person’s fingerprints to resolve a 21
question of the person’s identity. 22

(d) The Secretary may establish an alter native expiration date for a permit to 23
coincide with the expiration of a license, certification, or commission for: 24

(1) a private detective under Title 13 of the Business Occupations and 25
Professions Article; 26

(2) a security guard under Title 19 of the Business Occupations and 27
Professions Article; or 28

(3) a special police officer under § 3–306 of this article. 29

(E) A PERMIT ISSUED TO A R ETIRED LAW ENFORCEME NT OFFICER WHO 30
RETIRED IN GOOD STAN DING FROM SERVICE WI TH A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY 31
HOUSE BILL 94 3

OF THE STATE OR A COUNTY OR MUNICIPAL CORPORATION OF THE STATE: 1

(1) EXPIRES ON THE LAST DAY OF THE HOLDER ’S BIRTH MONTH 2
FOLLOWING 5 YEARS AFTER THE DATE THE PERMIT IS ISSUED; AND 3

(2) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (C) OF THIS SECTION, MAY BE RENEWED 4
FOR SUCCESSIVE PERIODS OF 5 YEARS EACH IF, AT THE TIME OF AN AP PLICATION 5
FOR RENEWAL , THE APPLICANT POSSES SES THE QUALIFICATIO NS FOR THE 6
ISSUANCE OF A PERMIT. 7

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2026. 9

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.