Van Hollen Offers Testimony to Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in Support of Closing Ghost Gun Loophole

Today, U.S. Senator Chris Van Hollen (D-Md.) submitted written testimony to the Maryland State Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee in support of SB 387, a bill sponsored by State Senator Susan Lee (D-District 16), to address the growing threat of unserialized firearms or “ghost guns.” In his testimony, the Senator highlights the concerning rise in ghost gun seizures across Maryland and the ease with which anyone – including a minor – can lawfully purchase firearm components and assemble a functional, untraceable gun. Senator Van Hollen also outlined his work at the federal level to close ghost gun loopholes nationwide, noting he has written to the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) calling on the agency to finalize pending regulations to do so.

“Under current law, any Marylander can buy gun parts to be delivered to their door and assemble them within an hour. But unlike guns sold by licensed dealers, there’s no requirement for a serial number on these gun parts. ‘Ghost guns’ are untraceable, including when they are used in crimes. We’re enforcing one set of rules for assembled guns and another set of rules for unassembled guns. That doesn’t make a bit of sense,” the Senator writes.

He notes the grave impact of ghost guns on our communities, stating, “This loophole is putting our communities and police at risk. Officers from the Baltimore Police Department seized 345 ghost guns last year and expect that number to double in 2022. During a hearing before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison testified that his department saw a 300 percent increase in the number of ghost guns seized in 2021 compared to 2020. Nearly one in four guns seized were from individuals too young to legally possess a gun. One individual was just 14 years old. Other jurisdictions across the state report similarly disturbing trends.”

“You are not alone in confronting this challenge,” he continues. “Senator Ben Cardin and I have urged the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to close ghost gun loopholes nationwide. I’m also working with federal lawmakers to pass legislation that would subject manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and buyers of gun kits to the same federal regulations that govern completed firearms. The U.S. Department of Justice is taking additional action through a new National Ghost Gun Enforcement Initiative.

“I urge the General Assembly to pass this common-sense legislation at the state level to close the ghost gun loophole. This bill will keep dangerous firearms away from those who seek commit crimes undetected. This bill will help reduce senseless gun violence, which has already taken a heavy toll on our communities. This bill will save lives,” the Senator concludes.

The Senator’s testimony as submitted for the hearing record can be read in full below.

Thank you, Chair Smith. I want to thank the Judicial Proceedings Committee for allowing me to testify at today’s hearing to protect our communities by closing the ghost gun loophole. I also want to thank my friends Senator Susan Lee and Attorney General Brian Frosh for their leadership on this bill. 

The Maryland General Assembly has a proud history of leadership in gun safety, even when it has not been easy. You and your colleagues have outlawed assault weapons, limited the size of magazines, and put in place groundbreaking handgun licensing requirements. When I served in the Maryland Senate, we enacted legislation requiring all guns sold in our state to have built-in trigger locks. That law, which was backed by the tireless advocacy of Maryland mom Carole Price after the tragic death of her son, helped reduce accidental gun deaths.  

Now we have other families in Maryland facing tragedy – injury or loss of life from the rise of ghost guns in our state. Just last month a student at Magruder High School in Montgomery County allegedly shot a classmate with a ghost gun. 

Under current law, any Marylander can buy gun parts to be delivered to their door and assemble them within an hour. But unlike guns sold by licensed dealers, there’s no requirement for a serial number on these gun parts. “Ghost guns” are untraceable, including when they are used in crimes. We’re enforcing one set of rules for assembled guns and another set of rules for unassembled guns. That doesn’t make a bit of sense. 

This loophole is putting our communities and police at risk. Officers from the Baltimore Police Department seized 345 ghost guns last year and expect that number to double in 2022. During a hearing before the United States Senate Judiciary Committee, Baltimore City Police Commissioner Michael Harrison testified that his department saw a 300 percent increase in the number of ghost guns seized in 2021 compared to 2020. Nearly one in four guns seized were from individuals too young to legally possess a gun. One individual was just 14 years old. Other jurisdictions across the state report similarly disturbing trends.

You are not alone in confronting this challenge. Senator Ben Cardin and I have urged the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives to close ghost gun loopholes nationwide. I’m also working with federal lawmakers to pass legislation that would subject manufacturers, distributors, sellers, and buyers of gun kits to the same federal regulations that govern completed firearms. The U.S. Department of Justice is taking additional action through a new National Ghost Gun Enforcement Initiative.

These are important steps, but we need a unified approach to address this crisis at all levels of government. The Maryland General Assembly has been on the leading edge of gun reform for decades. It’s time to take up that mantle of leadership once again. 

I urge the General Assembly to pass this common-sense legislation at the state level to close the ghost gun loophole. This bill will keep dangerous firearms away from those who seek commit crimes undetected. This bill will help reduce senseless gun violence, which has already taken a heavy toll on our communities. This bill will save lives.