Maryland House rejects floor amendments as debate continues over ban on handguns convertible to automatic fire

Annapolis, March 19, 2026 — The Maryland House of Delegates spent more than an hour debating House Bill 577, a measure targeting handguns that critics say are easily modified into automatic weapons, and rejected two floor amendments before ordering the bill for third reading.

The minority whip, who offered the first amendment, framed it as a constitutional safety valve, saying the amendment would make the bill "implode" if any part were found unconstitutional. "If this bill is found unconstitutional, that the bill goes away," the minority whip said, urging colleagues to accept the safeguard. The House voted the amendment down; the clerk recorded 95 votes in the negative.

Floor leaders and bill supporters said the measure is a consumer‑safety and public‑safety initiative. The majority floor leader urged members to reject the severability amendment and stressed that the draft is narrowly tailored to product designs that facilitate illegal conversion. "This bill is not targeting shotguns," the floor leader said, adding that the measure was intended to address weapons in a form that permits easy modification.

A second amendment, offered by a delegate from Anne Arundel County, would have added a provision making gun theft a felony; proponents cited federal trace data and statewide theft figures to justify the change, saying theft drives much illegal gun use. The sponsor told colleagues that 3,252 firearms traced in Maryland in 2023 were reported stolen and nationwide estimates of gun thefts exceed 300,000. The House rejected that amendment as well (the clerk recorded 88 votes in the negative).

Supporters of HB 577 argued that manufacturers design certain semiautomatic handguns in a way that makes dangerous conversion easier, and that state law can require safer product design much as consumer‑safety rules govern other products. Opponents said the bill would restrict law‑abiding purchasers and risk constitutional litigation, citing recent federal and state court decisions over firearm regulations.

Lawmakers referenced recent federal rulings in the exchange: one member cited a March decision (Bondi v. Van Der Stok as discussed on the floor) to argue regulators can limit certain weapons for public‑safety reasons; opponents cited the Supreme Court's Bruen standard as the controlling constitutional test.

After the failed amendments, members ordered HB 577 printed for third reading. There was no final passage vote on the bill during this floor session; that step remains for a later calendar.

What happens next: HB 577 will appear on the third‑reading calendar; if it reaches final passage later, the House record will show any additional amendments and a final roll call.

Who said it (selected): The minority whip proposed the severability amendment; the floor leader opposed it; a delegate from Anne Arundel presented the gun‑theft amendment and cited trace/theft statistics; other speakers included a delegate from Cecil County and members of Judiciary and Appropriations who debated constitutional and public‑safety trade‑offs.

The House is expected to take HB 577 up on third reading at a later date.