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Maryland isn’t likely to be confused with a pro-gun state anytime soon, especially with lawmakers passing laws that would hurt concealed carry.

You see, in the state, there’s a board where those who are denied a concealed carry permit can appeal the decision made at the local level. Anti-gun lawmakers sought to eliminate that board, as every successful appeal represents one more lawful citizen allowed to carry a concealed firearm, and anti-gun legislators freaking hate that.

A bill was passed by both chambers of the state legislature that killed the board. Unfortunately for them, the governor disagreed with the move.

An anti-gun measure advanced by Maryland’s Democrat-controlled state legislature was rebuffed by Republican Gov. Larry Hogan on Friday.

The emergency bill, HB 1343/SB 1000, aimed to scrap the state Department of Public Safety’s Handgun Permit Review Board, an organization that weighed appeals for those denied a handgun carry permit. The proposal, which passed the state House 87-47 and the Senate 30-16, was opposed by both gun rights groupsand state Republicans, who argued the Board is an important check in Maryland’s gun laws and disbanding it would not reduce crime.

Last week, Hogan agreed. “When given an opportunity this year to adopt tougher sentences for repeat violent gun offenders, the legislature refused to act. However, abolishing the Handgun Permit Review Board is not a solution to violent crime problems,” said Hogan in his veto statement. “It is just another in a long series of politically-motivated and ill-conceived power grabs.”

I agree with Hogan, particularly about how it’s not a solution to violent crime.

Criminals aren’t getting concealed carry permits. They’re carrying guns because they have a gun and want to carry it. They pop it in their pants and diddy-bop around town like they own the place. They don’t give a damn about the law. They’re criminals. It’s in the job description.

Meanwhile, the legislature in Maryland wants to inhibit the means of law-abiding citizens to carry weapons in self-defense.

Many in the state are wrongfully denied handgun carry permits, usually due to political reasons such as the issuing authority deciding that they don’t want the individual armed for whatever reason. The Handgun Permit Review Board, however, can look at the issue in a more dispassionate manner. As a result, overriding the issuing authority’s decision from time to time allows more people to go about their daily business armed.

This is a good thing for Maryland.

Unfortunately, Maryland anti-gunners don’t get it. They don’t comprehend it in the least. Either that or they do, and they don’t care. It doesn’t matter which it is in the grand scheme of things. What does matter is that anti-gunners like to get in the way of folks who want to protect their lives and the lives of others.

I’m glad Gov. Hogan vetoed the measure and that Maryland residents will continue to have at least some alternative after they’re wrongfully denied the means to exercise their constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms.