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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0577*
HOUSE BILL 577
E1 6lr1037
CF SB 334
By: Delegates Williams, Coley, Embry, Ivey, Lopez, Moreno, Pasteur, Phillips,
Ruff, Simmons, Simpson, Taylor, Toles, and Young
Introduced and read first time: January 28, 2026
Assigned to: Judiciary
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 20, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Firearm Crimes – Machine Gun Convertible Pistols 2
FOR the purpose of prohibiting, on or after a certain date, a person from manufacturing, 3
selling, offering for sale, purchasing, receiving, or transferring a certain machine gun 4
convertible pistol, subject to certain exce ptions; and generally relating to firearm 5
crimes. 6
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 7
Article – Criminal Law 8
Section 4–301(a) and 4–306 9
Annotated Code of Maryland 10
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 11
BY adding to 12
Article – Criminal Law 13
Section 4–301(m) and (n) 4–301(h), (j), (o), and (p) and 4–305.2 14
Annotated Code of Maryland 15
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 16
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 17
Article – Criminal Law 18
Section 4–301(m) 4–301(h) through (o) and 4–302 19
Annotated Code of Maryland 20
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 21
2 HOUSE BILL 577
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Criminal Law 3
4–301. 4
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
(H) “COMMON HOUSEHOLD TOOL ” INCLUDES A SCREWDRIV ER, A PIPE 6
WRENCH, PLIERS, A HACKSAW, A CROWBAR, AN ELECTRIC DRILL, A ROTARY TOOL, A 7
HAMMER, A CHISEL, A FILE, AND A CRESCENT WRENCH. 8
[(h)] (I) (1) “Copycat weapon” means: 9
(i) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that can accept a detachable 10
magazine and has any two of the following: 11
1. a folding stock; 12
2. a grenade launcher or flare launcher; or 13
3. a flash suppressor; 14
(ii) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has a fixed magazine with 15
the capacity to accept more than 10 rounds; 16
(iii) a semiautomatic centerfire rifle that has an overall length of less 17
than 29 inches; 18
(iv) a semiautomatic pistol with a fixed magazine th at can accept 19
more than 10 rounds; 20
(v) a semiautomatic shotgun that has a folding stock; or 21
(vi) a shotgun with a revolving cylinder. 22
(2) “Copycat weapon” does not include an assault long gun or an assault 23
pistol. 24
(J) “CRUCIFORM TRIGGER BAR ” MEANS A COMPONENT IN A 25
SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL THAT: 26
(1) SERVES AS A LINK BET WEEN THE TRIGGER AND THE FIRING PIN; 27
AND 28
HOUSE BILL 577 3
(2) HAS ITS SEAR INCORPORATED INTO A CROSS–SHAPED SURFACE. 1
[(i)] (K) “Detachable magazine” means an ammunition feeding device that ca n 2
be removed readily from a firearm without requiring disassembly of the firearm action or 3
without the use of a tool, including a bullet or cartridge. 4
[(j)] (L) “Flash suppressor” means a device that functions, or is intended to 5
function, to perceptibly reduce or redirect muzzle flash from the shooter’s field of vision. 6
[(k)] (M) “Hellfire trigger” means a device that, when installed in or attached to 7
a firearm, disengages the trigger return spring when the trigger is pulled. 8
[(l)] (N) “Licensed firearms dealer” means a person who holds a dealer’s license 9
under Title 5, Subtitle 1 of the Public Safety Article. 10
(M) (O) (1) “MACHINE GUN CONVERTIB LE PISTOL ” MEANS ANY 11
SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL WITH A CRUCIFORM TRIGGER BAR THAT CAN BE READILY 12
CONVERTED BY HAND OR BY USING COMMON HOUSEHOLD TOOLS INTO A MACHINE 13
GUN BY THE INSTALLAT ION OR ATTACHMENT OF A PISTOL CONVERTER A S A 14
REPLACEMENT FOR THE SLIDE’S BACKPLATE WITHOUT ANY ADDITION AL 15
ENGINEERING, MACHINING, OR MODIFICATION OF T HE PISTOL ’S TRIGGER 16
MECHANISM. 17
(2) “MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL” INCLUDES A PISTOL WITH 18
A CRUCIFORM TRIGGER BAR AND A POLYMER NOTCH OR OTHER PIECE OF POLYMER 19
MOLDED INTO THE REAR OF THE PISTOL FRAME WHERE A PISTOL CONVERTER CAN 20
BE ATTACHED OR INSTA LLED A SEMIAUTOMATIC PIST OL DESCRIBED UNDER 21
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION, REGARDLESS OF WHETHER A TAB OR OTHER 22
PIECE OF MATERIAL IS LOCATED ON THE REAR PORTION OF THE PISTOL FRAME TO 23
BLOCK THE ATTACHMENT OF A PISTOL CONVERTER, IF THE TAB OR OTHER PIECE OF 24
MATERIAL CAN BE READILY REMOVED WITH A COMMON HOUSEHOLD TOOL. 25
(3) “MACHINE GUN CONVERTIB LE PISTOL ” DOES NOT INCLUDE A 26
HAMMER–FIRED SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL OR A STRIKER –FIRED SEMIAUTOMATIC 27
PISTOL WITHOUT A CRUCIFORM TRIGGER BAR, WHICH INSTEAD HAS A TRIGGER BAR 28
THAT IS SHIELDED FROM INTERFERENCE BY A PISTOL CONVERTER. 29
(N) (P) (1) “PISTOL CONVERTER” MEANS ANY DEVICE OR INSTRUMENT 30
THAT, WHEN INSTALLED IN OR ATTACHED TO THE REAR OF THE SLIDE OF A 31
SEMIAUTOMATIC PISTOL, REPLACES THE BACKPLATE AND INTERFERES WI TH THE 32
TRIGGER MECHANISM , WHICH ENABLES THE PI STOL TO SHOOT AUTOMA TICALLY 33
MORE THAN ONE SHOT BY A SINGLE FUNCTION OF THE TRIGGER. 34
4 HOUSE BILL 577
(2) “PISTOL CONVERTER ” INCLUDES A PISTOL CO NVERTER 1
MANUFACTURED USING A THREE–DIMENSIONAL PRINTER. 2
[(m)] (O) (Q) (1) “Rapid fire activator” means a ny device, including a 3
removable manual or power–driven activating device, constructed so that, when installed 4
in or attached to a firearm: 5
(i) the rate at which the trigger is activated increases; or 6
(ii) the rate of fire increases. 7
(2) “Rapid fire activator” includes a bump stock, trigger crank, hellfire 8
trigger, binary trigger system, burst trigger system, switch/auto –sear, PISTOL 9
CONVERTER, or a copy or a similar device, regardless of the producer or manufacturer. 10
(3) “Rapid fire activator ” does not include a semiautomatic replacement 11
trigger that improves the performance and functionality over the stock trigger. 12
[(n)] (P) (R) “Switch/auto–sear” means a device that applies force to a firearm’s 13
trigger bar to prevent it from limiting the w eapon to firing only one round each time the 14
trigger is depressed. 15
[(o)] (Q) (S) “Trigger crank” means a device that, when installed in or attached to a 16
firearm, repeatedly activates the trigger of the firearm through the use of a crank, a lever, 17
or any other part that is turned in a circular motion. 18
4–302. 19
This subtitle does not apply to: 20
(1) if acting within the scope of official business, personnel of the United 21
States government or a unit of that government, members of the armed forces of the United 22
States or of the National Guard, law enforcement personnel of the State or a local unit in 23
the State, or a railroad police officer authorized under Title 3 of the Public Safety Article 24
or 49 U.S.C. § 28101; 25
(2) a firearm modified to render it permanently inoperative; 26
(3) possession, importation, manufacture, receipt for manufacture, 27
shipment for manufacture, storage, purchases, sales, and transport to or by a licensed 28
firearms dealer or manufacturer who is: 29
(i) providing or servicing an ass ault weapon [or], A detachable 30
magazine, OR A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL for a law enforcement unit or for 31
personnel exempted under item (1) of this section; 32
HOUSE BILL 577 5
(ii) acting to sell or transfer an assault weapon [or], A detachable 1
magazine, OR A MACHIN E GUN CONVERTIBLE PI STOL to a licensed firearm dealer in 2
another state or to an individual purchaser in another state through a licensed firearms 3
dealer; or 4
(iii) acting to return to a customer in another state an assault weapon 5
OR A MACHINE GUN CON VERTIBLE PISTOL transferred to the licensed firearms dealer 6
or manufacturer under the terms of a warranty or for repair; 7
(4) organizations that are required or authorized by federal law governing 8
their specific business or activity to maintain assault weapons and applicable ammunition 9
[and], detachable magazines, AND MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS; 10
(5) the receipt of an assault weapon [or], A detachable magazine , OR A 11
MACHINE GUN CONVERTI BLE PISTOL by inheritance, and possession o f the inherited 12
assault weapon [or], detachable magazine, OR MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL, if 13
the decedent lawfully possessed the assault weapon [or], detachable magazine , OR 14
MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL and the person inheriting the assault weapon [or], 15
detachable magazine , OR MACHINE GUN CONVE RTIBLE PISTOL is not otherwise 16
disqualified from possessing a regulated firearm; 17
(6) the receipt of an assault weapon [or], A detachable magazine , OR A 18
MACHINE GUN CONVERTI BLE PISTOL by a personal representati ve of an estate for 19
purposes of exercising the powers and duties of a personal representative of an estate; 20
(7) possession by a person who is retired in good standing from service with 21
a law enforcement agency of the State or a local unit in the State a nd is not otherwise 22
prohibited from receiving an assault weapon [or], detachable magazine, OR MACHINE GUN 23
CONVERTIBLE PISTOL if: 24
(i) the assault weapon [or], detachable magazine , OR MACHINE 25
GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL is sold or transferred to the person by the law enforcement 26
agency on retirement; or 27
(ii) the assault weapon [or], detachable magazine , OR MACHINE 28
GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL was purchased or obtained by the person for official use with 29
the law enforcement agency before retirement; 30
(8) possession or transport by an employee of an armored car company if 31
the individual is acting within the scope of employment and has a permit issued under Title 32
5, Subtitle 3 of the Public Safety Article; [or] 33
(9) possession, receipt, and testing by, or shipping to or from: 34
6 HOUSE BILL 577
(i) an ISO 17025 accredited, National Institute of Justice–approved 1
ballistics testing laboratory; or 2
(ii) a facility or entity that manufactures or provides research and 3
development testing, analysis, or engineering for personal protective equipment or vehicle 4
protection systems; 5
(10) THE TEMPORARY TRANSF ER OF A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE 6
PISTOL TO A LICENSED REGULATED FIREARMS D EALER OR GUNSMITH FO R THE 7
PURPOSE OF SERVICING THE MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL; 8
(11) THE RECEIPT OF A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PIST OL BY A 9
LICENSED REGULATED F IREARMS DEALER OR GU NSMITH FOR THE PURPO SE OF 10
SERVICING THE MACHIN E GUN CONVERTIBLE PI STOL AND THE RETURN OF THE 11
MACHINE GUN CONVERTI BLE PISTOL TO ITS LA WFUL OWNER BY A LICE NSED 12
REGULATED FIREARMS DEALER OR GUNSMITH ON THE COMPLETION OF SERVICING 13
THE MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL; OR 14
(12) THE RECEIPT OF A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL BY A LAW 15
ENFORCEMENT UNIT , BARRACKS, OR STATION , A STATE OR LOCAL LAW 16
ENFORCEMENT AGENCY , OR A FEDER ALLY LICENSED FIREAR MS DEALER IF THE 17
PERSON IS SURRENDERING THE FIREARM; 18
(13) THE TEMPORARY GRATUI TOUS EXCHANGE OF A M ACHINE GUN 19
CONVERTIBLE PISTOL; OR 20
(14) THE SALE, OFFER FOR SALE, PURCHASE, RECEIPT, OR TRANSFER 21
OF A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL TO OR BY A PERSON WHO: 22
(I) IS CURRENTLY A LAW E NFORCEMENT OFFICIAL , AS 23
DEFINED IN § 4–201 OF THIS TITLE; OR 24
(II) HAS RETIRED AS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IN GOOD 25
STANDING FROM A LAW ENFORCEMENT AGENCY O F THE UNITED STATES, THE 26
STATE OR ANOTHER STA TE, OR A LOCAL UNIT IN T HE STATE OR ANOTHER STAT E 27
AND POSSESSES A VALID CREDENTIAL ISSUED UNDER 18 U.S.C. § 926C. 28
4–305.2. 29
(A) ON EXCEPT AS OTHERWISE PROVIDED IN THIS SECTION, ON OR AFTER 30
JANUARY 1, 2027, A PERSON MAY NOT MAN UFACTURE, SELL, OFFER FOR SALE , 31
PURCHASE, RECEIVE, OR TRANSFER A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL. 32
HOUSE BILL 577 7
(B) THE DEPARTMENT OF STATE POLICE MAY ADOPT REGU LATIONS TO 1
IMPLEMENT THIS SECTI ON, INCLUDING PUBLISHING A LIS T OF PROHIBITED 2
MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOLS. 3
(C) (1) IN THIS SUBSECTION , “IMMEDIATE FAMILY MEM BER” MEANS A 4
SPOUSE, CHILD, STEPCHILD, PARENT, STEPPARENT, SIBLING, OR STEPSIBLING. 5
(2) (I) A PERSON WHO LAWFULLY OBTAINED AND POSSESS ES A 6
MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL M AY SELL OR OTHERWISE TR ANSFER A 7
MACHINE GUN CONVERTI BLE PISTOL TO AN IMM EDIATE FAMILY MEMBER WHO IS 8
NOT PROHIBITED UNDER FEDERAL OR STATE LAW FROM POSSESSING A FIREARM. 9
(II) A PERSON WHO IS NOT OT HERWISE PROHIBITED U NDER 10
FEDERAL OR STATE LAW FROM POSSES SING A FIREARM MAY P URCHASE OR 11
OTHERWISE RECEIVE A MACHINE GUN CONVERTIBLE PISTOL FROM AN IMMEDIATE 12
FAMILY MEMBER WHO LAWFULLY OBTAINED THE PISTOL. 13
4–306. 14
(a) Except as otherwise provided in this subtitle, a person who violates this 15
subtitle is guilty of a misdemeanor and on conviction is subject to imprisonment not 16
exceeding 3 years or a fine not exceeding $5,000 or both. 17
(b) (1) A person who uses an assault weapon, a rapid fire activator, or a 18
magazine that has a capacity of more than 10 rounds of ammunition, in the commission of 19
a felony or a crime of violence as defined in § 5–101 of the Public Safety Article is guilty of 20
a misdemeanor and on conviction, in addition to any other sentence imposed for the felony 21
or crime of violence, shall be sentenced under this subsection. 22
(2) (i) For a first violation, the person shall be sentenced to 23
imprisonment for not less than 5 years and not exceeding 20 years. 24
(ii) The court may not impose less than the minimum sentence of 5 25
years. 26
(iii) The mandatory minimum sentence of 5 years may not be 27
suspended. 28
(iv) Except as otherwise provided in § 4 –305 of the Correctional 29
Services Article, the person is not eligible for parole in less than 5 years. 30
(3) (i) For each subsequent vio lation, the person shall be sentenced to 31
imprisonment for not less than 10 years and not exceeding 20 years. 32
(ii) The court may not impose less than the minimum sentence of 10 33
years. 34
8 HOUSE BILL 577
(iii) A sentence imposed under this paragraph shall be consecutive to 1
and not concurrent with any other sentence imposed for the felony or crime of violence. 2
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 3
October 1, 2026. 4
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.