"We had one of the bloodiest years on record in 2015," Senator Jamie Raskin said.
Senator Raskin joined Marylanders to Prevent Gun Violence Wednesday morning in Annapolis. He said all the fatal and non fatal shootings prove even with existing gun legislation, there are still gaps and loopholes that allow guns into the wrong hands.
"So to all of my friends across the street who are protesting us today, I urge them to come and read these bills and to join us," Raskin said to the crowd.
The five bills the group is highlighting are: A system to alert local law enforcement when dangerous people attempt to buy a gun, weapon free college campuses, and closing the gap on the terrorist watch list. Another is the domestic gun violence forfeiture process bill.
"We're going to compel convicted domestic abusers to surrender their firearms at the point of conviction, have the judges tell them that they're not allowed to posses firearms which they're not now but actually get the guns back," Raskin told ABC2.
MPGV was also advocating for stronger penalties for illegally carrying and possessing a gun.
"I am sick and tired of the legislature working against the will of the people in Maryland," one protester from Bowie said.
He was one of those protestors across the street.
"More laws do not equate to safer. More laws just restrict law abiding people. They do not restrict criminals at all," he said.
While all five bills have their supporters and opponents, Senate Bill 638, among others, has caught the attention of Baltimore's police commissioner.
Kevin Davis weighed in an op-ed in the Baltimore Sun stressing the importance of increasing the mandatory minimum for people caught with an illegal gun on a first offense.
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