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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 la w by
amendment.
*sb0620*
SENATE BILL 620
E1 6lr3010
CF HB 1061
By: Senators Watson and West
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Judicial Proceedings
Committee Report: Favorable
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 6, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Criminal Law – Wearing, Carrying, or Transporting a Handgun – Prior 2
Convictions 3
FOR the purpose of altering the list of convictions that subject a defendant to enhanced 4
sentencing for wearing, carrying, or transporting a handgun to include certain 5
extra–jurisdictional crimes; and generally relating to wearing, carrying, or 6
transporting a handgun. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Criminal Law 9
Section 4–203(a) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Criminal Law 14
Section 4–203(c) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
Article – Criminal Law 20
2 SENATE BILL 620
4–203. 1
(a) (1) Except as provided in subsection (b) of this section, a person may not: 2
(i) wear, carry, or transport a handgun, whether concealed or open, 3
on or about the person; 4
(ii) wear, carry, or knowingly transport a handgun, whether 5
concealed or open, in a vehicle tr aveling on a road or parking lot generally used by the 6
public, highway, waterway, or airway of the State; 7
(iii) violate item (i) or (ii) of this paragraph while on public school 8
property in the State; 9
(iv) violate item (i) or (ii) of this paragraph with the deliberate 10
purpose of injuring or killing another person; or 11
(v) violate item (i) or (ii) of this paragraph with a handgun loaded 12
with ammunition. 13
(2) There is a rebuttable presumption that a person who transports a 14
handgun under paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection transports the handgun knowingly. 15
(c) (1) A person who violates this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and on 16
conviction is subject to the penalties provided in this subsection. 17
(2) If the person has not previously been co nvicted under this section, § 18
4–204 of this subtitle, or § 4 –101 or § 4 –102 of this title , OR IN ANOTHER STATE OR A 19
FEDERAL, MILITARY, OR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL COURT OF A CRIME THAT , IF 20
COMMITTED IN THE STATE, WOULD CONSTITUTE A V IOLATION OF THIS SECTION, § 21
4–204 OF THIS SUBTITLE, OR § 4–101 OR § 4–102 OF THIS TITLE: 22
(i) except as provided in item (ii) of this paragraph, the person is 23
subject to imprisonment for not less than 30 days and not exceeding 5 years or a fine of not 24
less than $250 and not exceeding $2,500 or both; or 25
(ii) if the person violates subsection (a)(1)(iii) of this section, the 26
person shall be sentenced to imprisonment for not less than 90 days. 27
(3) (i) If the person has previously been convicted once under this 28
section, § 4–204 of this subtitle, or § 4–101 or § 4–102 of this title, OR IN ANOTHER STATE 29
OR A FEDERAL, MILITARY, OR NATIVE AMERICAN TRIBAL COURT OF A CRIME THAT, 30
IF COMMITTED IN THE STATE, WOULD CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, 31
§ 4–204 OF THIS SUBTITLE, OR § 4–101 OR § 4–102 OF THIS TITLE: 32
SENATE BILL 620 3
1. except as provided in item 2 of this subparagraph, the 1
person is subject to imprisonment for not less than 1 year and not exceeding 10 years; or 2
2. if the person violates subsection (a)(1)(iii) of this section, 3
the person is subject to imprisonment for not less than 3 years and not exceeding 10 years. 4
(ii) 1. Except as provided in subsubparagraph 2 of this 5
subparagraph, the court may not impose less than the applicable minimum sentence 6
provided under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph. 7
2. If the person violates subsection (a)(1)(v) of this section, 8
the court may not suspend any part of or impose less than the applicable mandatory 9
minimum sentence provided under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph. 10
(iii) Except as provided in § 4 –305 of the Correctional Services 11
Article, if the person violates subsection (a)(1)(v) of this section, the person is not eligible 12
for parole during the mandatory minimum sentence. 13
(iv) A mandatory minimum sentence under subparagraph (ii)2 of this 14
paragraph may not be imposed unless the State’s Attorney notifies the defendant in writing 15
at least 30 days before trial of the State’s intention to seek the mandatory minimum 16
sentence. 17
(4) (i) If the person has previously been convicted more than once under 18
this section, § 4–204 of this subtitle, or § 4–101 or § 4–102 of this title, or of any combination 19
of these crimes , OR IN ANOTHER STATE OR A FEDERAL , MILITARY, OR NATIVE 20
AMERICAN TRIBAL COURT OF A CRIME THAT, IF COMMITTED IN THE STATE, WOULD 21
CONSTITUTE A VIOLATION OF THIS SECTION, § 4–204 OF THIS SUBTITLE, OR § 4–101 22
OR § 4–102 OF THIS TITLE: 23
1. except as provided in item 2 of this subparagraph, the 24
person is subject to imprisonment for not less than 3 years and not exceeding 10 years; or 25
2. A. if the person violates subsection (a)(1)(iii) of this 26
section, the person is subject to imprisonment for not less than 5 years and not exceeding 27
10 years; or 28
B. if the person violates subsection (a)(1)(iv) of this section, 29
the person is subject to imprisonment for not less than 5 years and not exceeding 10 years. 30
(ii) 1. Except as provided in subsubparagraph 2 of this 31
subparagraph, the court may not impose less than the applicable minimum sentence 32
provided under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph. 33
2. If the person violates subsection (a)(1)(v) of this section, 34
the court may not suspend any part of or impose less than the applicable mandatory 35
minimum sentence provided under subparagraph (i) of this paragraph. 36
4 SENATE BILL 620
(iii) Except as provided in § 4 –305 of the Correctional Services 1
Article, if the person violates subsection (a)(1)(v) of this section, the person is not eligible 2
for parole during the mandatory minimum sentence. 3
(iv) A mandatory minimum sentence under subparagraph (ii)2 of this 4
paragraph may not be imposed unless the State’s Attorney notifies the defendant in writing 5
at least 30 days before trial of the State’s intention to seek the mandatory minimum 6
sentence. 7
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 8
October 1, 2026. 9
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.