(a) Findings. The unintentional discharge of handguns often causes accidental death or injury to children. Additional safeguards are needed to protect children from injury or death from the unintentional discharge of loaded and unlocked handguns. Requiring a firearm dealer who transfers a handgun to provide a child safety handgun device when a handgun is transferred can prevent unintentional injuries and fatalities to children.
(b) Child safety handgun device.
(1) A firearm dealer who sells, leases, or otherwise transfers a handgun in the County must provide to the recipient of the handgun a child safety handgun device for the handgun at the time of the transfer. The dealer may charge for the child safety handgun device.
(2) A person who purchases or otherwise receives a handgun from a firearm dealer (or any transferor who would be a firearm dealer if the transfer occurred in the State) after October 8, 1997 must obtain a child safety handgun device for the handgun:
(A) at the time of a transfer in the County; or
(B) before entering the County with the handgun if the transfer occurred outside the County and the transferee resides in the County.
(c) Notices.
(1) A firearm dealer who sells, leases, or otherwise transfers a handgun must post conspicuously in the dealer’s place of business a notice of:
(A) the requirement in subsection (b) for a child safety handgun device; and
(B) the prohibition in State law of storing or leaving a loaded firearm in a location where an unsupervised child can gain access to the firearm.
(2) If the firearm dealer transferring a handgun does not maintain a place of business in a commercial establishment, the dealer must provide the notices required by paragraph (1) in writing when transferring the handgun.
(d) Enforcement. The Department of Health and Human Services and any other department designated by the County Executive enforces this section.
(f) Regulations. The Executive may adopt regulations under method (2) to implement this Section. (1997 L.M.C., ch. 16; 2001 L.M.C., ch. 11, § 1.)
Editor's note—Section 57-8, formerly § 57-5A, was renumbered pursuant to 2001 L.M.C., ch. 11, § 1.