Possible Baltimore City Paintball Ban
I just got this off the pbnation impulse forum
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http://www.pbnation.com/showthread.p...threadid=66793
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ALERT: BALTIMORE.
BILL to Ban Possession-Sales-Discharge of Paintball Guns
HEARING: MONDAY, MARCH 11. 5 p.m.
Baltimore's City Council is considering an ordinance that would make it illegal to "discharge, possess, sell, buy, give away, or otherwise transfer any paintball gun in Baltimore City."
Violation of this would be a misdemeanor and, on conviction, the sentence could be a fine up to $500, and/or imprisonment for up to 60 days, for each offense.
This would apply to individuals, corporations, partnerships and all other entities (see below).
The item is on the City Council's draft Agenda for MONDAY, MARCH 11.
CALL THE CITY COUNCIL FOR FURTHER INFORMATION.
Also affected, though differently, would be gas- or air-pellet guns (see below).
CITY OF BALTIMORE WEB SITE: http://www.baltimorecitycouncil.com/la.htm.
The City Council publishes its agenda three business days in advance of a Council meeting, and posts that agenda to this website.
The item on the Agenda is under "bills introduced". This is a summary. The full draft text is below. The summary says:
02-0713 Weapons - Paintball Guns
Sponsors: Holton.
ORDINANCE - FOR the purpose of prohibiting the possession, sale or transfer, or discharge of paintball guns and similar devices; defining certain terms; imposing certain penalties; correcting, clarifying, and conforming certain related provisions governing gas- and air-pellet devices; and generally relating to guns and other devices that discharge pellets and other objects. - PUBLIC SAFETY SUBCOMMITTEE (020500)
As of March 7, 2002, this is what it says, according to a fax from the City Council. Call the City Council to get a copy fax'd directly to you. Anything in brackets [] is current wording that would be replaced.
Section 1. Be It Ordained by the Mayor and City Council of Baltimore, That the Laws of Baltimore City read as follows:
Baltimore City Code
Article 19. Police Ordinances
Subtitle 59. Weapons
Section 59-26. Gas- or air-pellet guns.
(A) Definitions.
(1)
In this section, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
(2) "Gas- or Air-Pellet gun".
"Gas- or Air-Pellet gun" means any gun or other device, by whatever name or description known, that discharges a pellet or other object by force of gas or air cylinder or cartridge.
(3) "Person".
"Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation, limited liability company, or any entity of any kind.
(B) [(a)]: Giving, etc., to minor prohibited.
[It shall be unlawful for any persons, firm or corporation to] No Person may sell, give away, [lend, rent,] or otherwise transfer a Gas- or Air-Pellet gun to, or permit the use of a Gas- or Air-pellet gun by, any individual whom [any such] that person [, firm, or corporation] knows or has reasonable cause to believe [to be] a minor [, under the age of 21 years, any gun or other device, by whatever name or description known, which discharges a pellet or other object by force of gas or air cylinder or cartridge].
(C) [(b)]: Discharge or use [prohibited].
[It shall be unlawful for any] No person [to] may discharge or use any [gun or other device, by whatever name or description known, which discharges a pellet or other object by force of a gas or air cartridge or cylinder,] gas- or air-pellet gun unless the [said] gun [shall be] is kept within his or her own domicile or [shall be] is used by him exclusively for the purpose of teaching the use and care of [weapons or] firearms at [an] a properly constructed indoor or outdoor range [which shall be under the supervision, guidance, and instruction of an adult].
[(c) Same.
It shall be unlawful for any person to discharge any such gun or device from or across any street, sidewalk, alley, or public road within the limits of the City of Baltimore except on a properly constructed target range or except on private grounds or residence under circumstances where the said gun or device can be fired, discharged, or operated in such a manner as not to endanger persons or property and also in such a manner as to prevent the projectile from traversing any grounds or space outside the limits of such grounds or residence.]
(d) Penalties.
Any [violation of the provisions] person who violates any provision of this section [shall be deemed to be] is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject [upon conviction] to a fine of not more than $500 or to imprisonment for not [longer] more than 60 days or to both fine and imprisonment [, in the discretion of the Court] for each offense.
Section 59-26.1. Paintball Guns
(A) Definitions
(1) In General
In this section, the following terms have the meanings indicated.
(2) "Paintball Gun".
"Paintball Gun" means any gun or other device, including a gas- or air-pellet gun as defined in Section 59-26 of this subtitle, that is used or designed or intended to be used to discharge a paintball or other object designed or intended to mark a target with pigmentation.
(3) "Person".
"Person" means any individual, partnership, firm, association, corporation, limited liability company, or any entity of any kind.
(B) Discharge, Possession, Etc., Prohibited.
No person may discharge, possess, sell, buy, give away, or otherwise transfer any paintball gun in Baltimore City.
(C) Penalties.
Any person who violates any provision of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and, on conviction, is subject to a fine or not more than $500 or to imprisonment for not more than 60 days or to both fine and imprisonment for each offense.
Section 2. And Be it Further Ordained, That the catchlines contained in this Ordinance are not law and may not be considered to have been enacted as a part of this or any prior Ordinance.
Section 3. And Be It Further Ordained, That this Ordinance takes effect on the 30th day after the date it is enacted.
The City Council meeting of Monday, March 11, begins at 5 p.m. at City Hall.
The web site indicates: Full texts of City Council bills are not available online as of yet. If you require the full text of a bill, please call the Council's Executive Secretary during business hours at (410) 396-1697. Requests will be filled via facsimile or U.S. Mail as appropriate.
CONTACTS
IF YOU WISH TO CONTACT ANY CITY OFFICIAL, IT IS ABSOLUTELY VITAL THAT YOUR CONTACT BE VERY POLITE.
STATING YOUR OPINION IS CERTAINLY APPROPRIATE, BUT DOING SO IN A WAY THAT IS CONSIDERED RUDE WILL HURT PAINTBALL'S CAUSE, NOT HELP IT.
City of Baltimore
City Council
City Hall, Room 408
100 North Holliday Street
Baltimore, Maryland 21202
City Switchboard (all departments) 410-396-3100
City Council Members:
Sheila Dixon, President of the Council
Stephanie Rawlings Blake, Vice President
District One: Nicholas C. D'Adamo, Jr., John L. Cain, Lois A. Garey
District Two: Paula Johnson Branch, Bernard C. "Jack" Young, Pamela V. Carter
District Three: Robert W. Curran, Kenneth N. Harris, Sr., Lisa Joi Stancil
District Four: Agnes Welch, Keiffer J. Mitchell, Jr., Catherine E. Pugh
District Five: Rochelle "Rikki" Spector, Helen L. Holton, Stephanie Rawlings Blake
District Six: Melvin L. Stukes, Kwame Abayomi, Edward L. Reisinger
EMAIL ADDRESSES:
Baltimore City Council e-mail addresses:
sdixon@baltimorecitycouncil.com
jcain@baltimorecitycouncil.com
ndadamo@baltimorecitycouncil.com
lgarey@baltimorecitycouncil.com
pbranch@baltimorecitycouncil.com
bgaddy@baltimorecitycouncil.com
byoung@baltimorecitycouncil.com
rcurran@baltimorecitycouncil.com
kharris@baltimorecitycouncil.com
istancil@baltimorecitycouncil.com
kmitchell@baltimorecitycouncil.com
cpugh@baltimorecitycouncil.com
awelch@baltimorecitycouncil.com
hholton@baltimorecitycouncil.com
srawlings@baltimorecitycouncil.com
rspector@baltimorecitycouncil.com
nhandy@baltimorecitycouncil.com
ereisinger@baltimorecitycouncil.com
mstukes@baltimorecitycouncil.com
TELEPHONE NUMBERS:
President of City Council 410-396-4804
1st District 410-396-4806
2nd District 410-396-4809
3rd District 410-396-4814
4th District 410-396-4817
5th District 410-396-4820
6th District 410-396-4823
Council Executive Secretary 410-396-4800
Mayor's Office 410-396-4892
Kajo out-
