Montgomery County Executive Marc Elrich signed an amended firearms law Monday, narrowing the county's restrictions on ghost guns and guns near public places after the Maryland Supreme Court struck down parts of the original ordinances in April.
The changes apply countywide, including in Potomac, where parks, schools, libraries and places of worship remain on the list of venues where firearms are prohibited within 100 yards.
The signing, held at the Isiah "Ike" Leggett Executive Office Building in Rockville, sets the stage for a Wednesday, Aug. 12, status conference in the ongoing Engage Armament LLC v. Montgomery County case at Montgomery County Circuit Court. County officials intend to show the court that corrective action has been taken.
"Complying with a court order is not the same as changing our commitment to public safety," Elrich said at the ceremony. He added that the county would continue using every legal tool available to make neighborhoods safer.
What changed
The amended law, sponsored by Councilmember Dawn Luedtke (D-Dist. 7), redefines ghost guns to exempt firearms that are later serialized by a federally licensed dealer. Unserialized firearms remain illegal.
The list of "places of public assembly" where guns are restricted has been trimmed. Hospitals, community health centers, long-term care facilities and childcare facilities are no longer covered by the county ordinance; those venues now fall under state regulation.
Firearms are still prohibited within 100 yards of parks, schools, libraries, places of worship, recreational facilities, multipurpose exhibition facilities, polling places, courthouses and legislative assemblies.
State wear-and-carry permit holders may now travel on public highways in the county while armed, in accordance with state law. Law enforcement officers and licensed security guards remain exempt from the restrictions.
The numbers
John O'Brien, director of the Montgomery County Police Department's Special Investigations Division, said at the July 27 ceremony that the county recorded more than 600 "shooting events" from 2023 to 2025. Law enforcement agencies countywide seized more than 3,000 firearms during the same period, O'Brien said.
Path to the signing
The County Council passed the amended bill (Expedited Bill 23-26) in a 10-1 vote on Tuesday, July 21. Councilmember Laurie-Anne Sayles (D-At-large) cast the sole dissenting vote.
"I'm just wondering how a law enforcement officer or someone would know that I'm carrying a concealed weapon unless they stop and frisk me," Sayles said during the July 21 council session. "I'm just concerned that this may lead to greater surveillance of everyday citizens."
Gun-rights advocates have signaled they will continue to fight the law. Mark Pennak, president of Maryland Shall Issue and an attorney who represented the lead plaintiff before the state Supreme Court, called the amended bill "legally stupid" during a June 9 public hearing and vowed to challenge it.
The Maryland Supreme Court ruled April 28 that whether the amended law passes constitutional muster "will depend on the scope of the amended law and evidence concerning its effects." That question now rests with the Montgomery County Circuit Court, which will take up the case at the Aug. 12 status conference in Rockville.
Residents with information about illegal firearms can contact the Montgomery County Police non-emergency line at 301-279-8000 or call 911 in an emergency.
