Yesterday, Maryland lawmakers approved Governor Parris N. Glendening’s legislation requiring that new handguns be sold with built-in trigger locks. President Clinton and Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Kennedy Townsend were present at the ceremony, and Clinton spoke on the importance of a similar federal law, now stalled in Congress. “‘Every single day Congress waits, we lose 12 children, nearly 90 people overall, to gun violence,’ Clinton said. ‘Congress should follow Maryland’s lead.'”
The Maryland state law, opposed vehemently by the NRA, also calls for mandatory sentences for gun crimes and two hours of safety training for anyone purchasing a handgun. Many other states have similar gun control laws, including Massachusetts, Connecticut, Florida, and California.
