On Nov. 15, the Montgomery County Council passed Bill 21-22, Weapons – Firearms In or Near Places of Public Assembly. The bill, sponsored by Council President Gabe Albornoz and co-sponsored by the full Council, consists of three main clauses: the prohibition of carrying firearms in or near places of public assembly, invalidation of exemption handgun permits that currently allow them to be carried within a 100-yard radius of public assembly and an open clause that allows the Council to “generally amend the law regarding restrictions against firearms in the County.” 

Following what The MoCo Show calls the recent “epidemic of gun violence,” the Council has taken a strong stance against the prevalence of guns in everyday life. “I continue to believe that guns create immeasurably more problems, often with tragic outcomes, than they attempt to solve,” Albornoz said in the article. 

To address the issue, the Council aims to reduce the number of guns present in public spaces, such as in parks and hospitals. It stated that “this legislation will help ensure that we do everything possible to minimize the number of guns in our public space.” What are the implications of this bill on the safety of Montgomery County? 

“I think it’s a good step forward because there’s no reason anyone should bring a gun to a public assembly area, unless they are an officer. Even for self defense,” junior Christiana Vucea said. In the case of a shooting, Vucea said, “It’s a bit silly to think that someone will save the day with their own gun. It would be better if it was left to the police since they can communicate with each other,” she said.

Vucea also questioned the ability of the bill to stop shootings. “The people that commit mass shootings in public areas already don’t care about the law, so doing this won’t stop them,” she said. She also expects possible push-back against the bill from “people that actually went through the process of getting a legal gun for self defense”, as they may feel as though they are not able to protect themselves anymore.

Some RM students were concerned about the possible push-back. “The bill could be seen as “extreme” by some people, and therefore cause unrest,” senior Liz Frisbie said. However, taking the high liberal population of Montgomery County into account, she also felt that this was unlikely. 

“I want to see something like this from the federal government, but I suppose county governments implementing stuff like this is a step in the right direction,” Frisbie said, adding how she wants other counties and states to follow Montgomery County’s lead.

The bill outlines that “a county, municipal corporation or special taxing district may regulate the purchase, sale, transfer, ownership, possession and transportation” of a handgun, rifle, shotgun or any of its parts. This means that the county will prohibit guns in public areas through economic methods, such as limiting gun sales, and likely through criminal charges as well. This is to avoid violating the Second Amendment.

While many students expressed uncertainty over the implications of the bill, they seemed to agree that it was necessary legislation. “I think this bill is a huge step forward for gun control and public safety,” Frisbie said.