A ban on so-called “ghost guns,” difficult-to-trace weapons that lack serial numbers or are sold in pieces to evade Maryland’s background check rules, will go into effect after Gov. Larry Hogan announced Friday that he would not veto the measure.
Regulating so-called “ghost guns” has been a top priority of gun control advocates for several years but was opposed by many gun-rights groups. Some top law enforcement officials have also pressed for tighter rules, with Baltimore Police Commissioner Michael Harrison and others telling lawmakers that such weapons are showing up with greater frequency at crime scenes.
Supporters of the legislation primarily complained about the growing purchase of firearms assembled at home from kits purchased off the internet. Because the weapons are bought in pieces, buyers can effectively evade current background check requirements — and the weapons can also be particularly difficult for law enforcement to trace, both because there is no paper trail of background checks and sales documents and because the parts typically lack serial numbers.
