Environment - Appropriation or Use of Water and Dam Safety - Enforcement
HB0250 creates a new Maryland income tax credit for individuals who purchase firearm safety devices during the taxable year. The bill defines firearm safety devices broadly to include devices installed on a firearm to prevent operation until deactivated, as well as safes, gun safes, gun cases, lock boxes, and similar storage devices that can be opened only by a key, combination, or comparable means.
The credit equals 100% of the purchase price, up to $200 per individual, and may be claimed only once per taxable year. If the credit exceeds the individual’s tax liability, any unused amount may be carried forward to the next taxable year. To claim the credit, a taxpayer must apply to the Comptroller for a tax credit certificate and attach that certificate to the income tax return. The Comptroller must verify eligibility, issue certificates on a first-come, first-served basis, and may not issue more than $250,000 in total certificates per taxable year; unused eligibility may roll into a succeeding taxable year if a certificate is not issued because of the annual cap.
The bill adds a new Section 10-758 to the Tax-General Article of the Annotated Code of Maryland, creating a targeted personal income tax incentive for firearm safety purchases. It affects individual taxpayers who buy qualifying firearm locks, safes, or similar devices, and it imposes administrative duties on the Comptroller to verify purchases, issue certificates, and manage the annual statewide cap on credits. The credit is effective July 1, 2025 and applies to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2024.
Based on the bill text and the absence of recorded committee testimony or votes in the provided materials, the measure appears to be framed as a public-safety and tax-relief proposal rather than a controversial fiscal change. The structure of the bill suggests support for encouraging secure firearm storage through a modest, capped tax incentive. No formal recorded opposition or support is available in the provided context, so the overall sentiment cannot be measured from debate history.
The main points of potential contention are likely the policy choice to use the tax code to encourage firearm safety practices, the scope of qualifying devices, and the administrative burden placed on the Comptroller to certify purchases and allocate a limited pool of credits. Another possible issue is the $250,000 annual cap and first-come, first-served distribution, which could be viewed as limiting access or favoring early applicants. No specific objections or proponents are identified in the provided transcripts or votes.