Maryland Senate Passes SB 334 to Stop the Spread of DIY Machine Guns; Gun Safety Advocates Applaud Bold Step Toward Industry Accountability

ANNAPOLIS, M.D. - Today, the Maryland chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety's grassroots network, released the following statements after Senate lawmakers passed SB 334, a critical public safety measure that prohibits the sale of DIY machine guns, handguns that can be easily and quickly converted into fully automatic weapons using illegal "switches." The bill, sponsored by Senator Love, marks a major victory in the fight against the proliferation of rapid-fire DIY machine guns. By advancing this legislation to require manufacturers to meet common-sense safety standards, the Maryland Senate moves the state closer to joining California in leading the nation to stop these lethal weapons at the source. The bill now heads to the House of Delegates, where its crossfile HB 577, sponsored by Delegate Nicole Williams, is pending in the Judiciary Committee.

"Today, Maryland leaders sent a clear message to the gun industry: our children's lives are worth more than the profits made from dangerous, convertible designs," said Alison Rodner, a volunteer with the Maryland chapter of Moms Demand Action. "We've seen these 'switches' turn neighborhoods into war zones because certain manufacturers refuse to fix a flaw in their products. But this move from the Senate is a powerful reminder that our voices are louder than the gun lobby, and we won't stop until this bill is signed into law and our families are finally protected from these DIY machine guns."

The threat of DIY machine guns is a growing reality on Maryland streets, where certain semi-automatic pistols can be equipped with "switches" that allow them to fire at a rate of up to 1,200 rounds per minute-20 rounds per second. Nationally, ATF data shows that recoveries of these conversion devices increased by 784% between 2019 and 2023. In 2023 alone, law enforcement recovered 36 machine gun conversion devices in Maryland. Police officers in Baltimore, Prince George's County, and Montgomery County have all reported incidents involving these illegally converted handguns capable of automatic fire, including the mass shooting at Morgan State University.

The legislation prohibits the sale of handguns that can be easily converted into fully automatic machine guns, holding manufacturers to a basic safety standard: if you want to sell in Maryland, your pistol cannot be designed to accept a switch. This approach does not infringe on gun ownership or take away any firearms already owned by Marylanders. Rather, it targets industry designs that make machine gun conversion easy.

Beyond the physical toll, gun violence imposes a massive financial burden on all Marylanders. This epidemic costs the state $10.5 billion each year, with $383.9 million of that total paid directly by taxpayers. By allowing convertible handguns to enter the state, Maryland has essentially been subsidizing the profits of negligent manufacturers with taxpayer dollars and lives lost.

In an average year in Maryland, 797 people die by guns and 1,745 people are wounded. 63% of gun deaths in Maryland are by gun homicide. More information about gun violence in Maryland is available here.