VICTORY FOR GUN SAFETY: Maryland Becomes Second State in the Nation to Stop the Sale of DIY Machine Guns as Governor Moore Signs Landmark Legislation

ANNAPOLIS, MD - 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 Governor Wes Moore signed SB 334 into law. This critical public safety measure, sponsored by Senator Sara Love and Delegate Nicole Williams, prohibits the sale of handguns that can be easily and quickly converted into fully automatic "DIY machine guns" using illegal "switches."

Maryland now becomes the second state in the nation, following California, to pass legislation that holds gun manufacturers accountable for design features that allow their products to be transformed into illegal fully automatic machine guns, capable of firing up to 1,200 rounds a minute.

"Do-it-yourself machine guns are just as scary as they sound-and just as appealing to criminals as you would imagine," said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. "Thanks to Governor Moore and state lawmakers, Maryland is taking action to stop the spread of these deadly weapons, and setting an example for the entire nation."

"When anyone can turn a pistol into a DIY machine gun, communities are at risk of mass devastation erupting at any time," said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. "Today, Maryland is taking a necessary step to confront this dangerous loophole, and we couldn't be more proud. Our movement, along with gun sense champions like Governor Moore and champions in our statehouse, is proving that we don't have to accept preventable violence as the norm."

"Convertible pistols not only leave families shattered, they put the law enforcement officers who protect us dangerously outgunned against an arsenal they were never meant to face," said Deb Lattimer, a volunteer with the Maryland chapter of Moms Demand Action. "Governor Moore's signature today gives me hope that we are finally addressing the root of this crisis by holding manufacturers accountable, and we are profoundly grateful to our leaders for choosing the safety of Maryland families and law enforcement over the gun lobby."

"Young people shouldn't have to grow up in a world where DIY machine guns are popping up at crime scenes all across our state," said Kaia Wilkins, leader of the Morgan State University Students Demand Action group. "We're the ones growing up in the shadow of the gun violence crisis, and we know that as long as these guns are designed to be easily converted, our schools and neighborhoods aren't truly safe. But this bill is the future. Today, Maryland leaders showed us they value our lives and our futures more than the bottom line of the gun industry."

With the Governor's signature, this law 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 easily 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.

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 Baltimore alone, police recovered 65 modified Glocks in 2024, nearly double the amount from the previous year. 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.

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.