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*hb0284*
HOUSE BILL 284
E4 (6lr0004)
ENROLLED BILL
— Judiciary/Judicial Proceedings —
Introduced by Chair, Judiciary Committee (By Request – Departmental – State
Police)
Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
_______________________________________________
Proofreader.
Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
______________________________________________
Speaker.
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Safety – Licensed Firearms Dealers – Notification Regarding Potential 2
Compromise of Security Features Compromising Events 3
FOR the purpose of requiring a certain licensed firearms dealer to notify the Secretary of 4
State Police within a certain period of time that certain crimes have occurred or 5
certain security features may have been compromised; altering a certain penalty; and 6
generally relating to licensed firearms dealers. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
Article – Public Safety 9
Section 5–145.1 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2022 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
2 HOUSE BILL 284
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Public Safety 3
5–145.1. 4
(a) A licensed dealer may not conduct business and store firearms at a location 5
unless: 6
(1) the premises on which the licensed dealer operates is equipped with 7
security features, including: 8
(i) equipment capable of filming and recording video footage inside 9
and outside buildings where firearms are stored; 10
(ii) at least one of the followin g features designed to prevent 11
unauthorized entry installed on all exterior doors and windows of all buildings where 12
firearms are stored: 13
1. bars; 14
2. security screens; 15
3. commercial grade metal doors; 16
4. grates; or 17
5. other physical barriers approved by the Secretary; 18
(iii) a burglary alarm system that is continually monitored; and 19
(iv) if practicable, physical barriers designed to prevent the use of 20
motor vehicles to breach all buildings where firearms are stored; or 21
(2) outside business hours, the licensed dealer locks all firearms stored on 22
the premises in: 23
(i) a vault; 24
(ii) a safe; or 25
(iii) a room or building that meets the requirements under item (1) of 26
this subsection. 27
(B) (1) A LICENSED DEALER WHO KNOWS OR REASONABLY SHOULD 28
KNOW THAT A BURGLARY, ATTEMPTED BURGLARY, ROBBERY, THEFT, OR ANY OTHER 29
HOUSE BILL 284 3
EVENT MAY HAVE COMPR OMISED THE SECURITY FEATURES REQUIRED UN DER 1
SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION SHAL L NOTIFY THE SECRETARY WITHIN 24 2
HOURS AFTER THE DEALER FIRST DISCOVERS THAT THE SECURITY FEATURES MAY 3
HAVE BEEN COMPROMISED. 4
(B) (1) A LICENSED DEALER SHALL NOTIFY THE SECRETARY WITHIN 24 5
HOURS AFTER THE DEALER FIRST HAS KNOWLEDGE THAT: 6
(I) THERE HAS BEEN A BUR GLARY, ATTEMPTED BURGLARY , 7
ROBBERY, OR THEFT INVOLVING A FIREARM OR AMMUNITION AT THE PREMISES ON 8
WHICH THE LICENSED DEALER OPERATES OR WHERE FIREARMS ARE STORED; OR 9
(II) A SECURITY FEATURE R EQUIRED UNDER SUBSEC TION 10
(A)(1) OF THIS SECTION HAS BEEN COMPROMISED, INCLUDING: 11
1. THE FAILURE OF EQUIPMENT TO FILM AN D RECORD 12
VIDEO FOOTAGE UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1)(I) OF THIS SECTION; 13
2. THE FAILURE OF A FEA TURE TO PREVENT 14
UNAUTHORIZED ENTRY UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1)(II) OF THIS SECTION; 15
3. THE FAILURE OF A BUR GLARY ALARM SYSTEM T O 16
ALLOW FOR MONITORING UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1)(III) OF THIS SECTION; OR 17
4. THE FAILURE OF A PHYSICAL BARRIER TO PREVENT 18
A BREACH, IF UTILIZED UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(1)(IV) OF THIS SECTION. 19
(2) THE NOTICE REQUIRED U NDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS 20
SUBSECTION IS IN ADD ITION TO ANY REPORT MA DE TO THE LOCAL LAW 21
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY OR THE BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO, FIREARMS AND 22
EXPLOSIVES. 23
[(b)] (C) (1) This subsection does not apply if the equipment or alarm system 24
became temporarily inoperable at no fault of the licensed dealer. 25
(2) A person who violates this section is subject to a civil penalty IMPOSED 26
BY THE SECRETARY: 27
(I) FOR A FIRST VIOLATION, NOT EXCEEDING $250; AND 28
(II) FOR A SECOND OR SUBS EQUENT VIOLATION, not exceeding 29
$1,000 imposed by the Secretary. 30
4 HOUSE BILL 284
(3) In addition to the penalty imposed under paragraph (2) of this 1
subsection, a person who knowingly and willfully violates this section is subject to: 2
(i) for a second offense, suspension of the person’s dealer’s license; 3
and 4
(ii) for a third or subsequent offense, revocation of the person’s 5
dealer’s license. 6
[(c)] (D) The Secretary shall adopt rules and regulations to determine whether 7
a licensed dealer has met the requirements of subsection (a) of this section. 8
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 9
October 1, 2026. 10
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.