The Maryland House of Delegates voted 92-39 Wednesday to approve House Bill 577, which would prohibit the manufacture, sale, offer for sale, purchase, receipt or transfer of certain machine gun convertible pistols after a specified date.
The chamber recorded the identical 92-39 vote on the Senate companion bill, Senate Bill 334. A single-word difference between the two versions left both measures pending late Wednesday as the Senate worked to determine next steps with five days remaining in the 2026 legislative session.
The legislation targets semiautomatic pistols equipped with a cruciform trigger bar that can be converted by hand or common household tools into a machine gun through installation of a pistol converter, commonly known as a Glock switch. The bills do not specifically name Glock handguns but focus on the design feature that enables rapid conversion.
The sole distinction is the language directing the Maryland State Police on regulations. The Senate version uses “shall” for adopting regulations and publishing a list of prohibited pistols. The House version uses “may.”
Both bills include exceptions for current and retired law enforcement officers and military personnel. Existing owners may keep their firearms, though future transfers within Maryland would be restricted after the effective date of January 1, 2027, under the Senate version, or October 1, 2026, under the House version in some summaries.
House Majority Leader David Moon, D-Montgomery, said the measure addresses copycat manufacturers and does not remove guns from current owners. He described it as pursuing better product design from manufacturers, noting many already comply, making implementation straightforward.
House Minority Leader Jason Buckel, R-Allegany, opposed the bill, arguing it targets manufacturers rather than criminals. “Product manufacturers don’t kill people. Product manufacturers don’t pull the trigger,” Buckel said. “Criminals commit crime. They do not care about your regulatory offenses. The only people who care about the regulatory offenses are lawful gun owners … Common sense has left the room.”
The bills respond to concerns over the proliferation of illegal conversion devices, which have been banned in Maryland since 2024. Supporters say the legislation holds manufacturers to a safety standard by preventing designs susceptible to easy conversion. Maryland would become the second state to enact such a prohibition if the measure reaches the governor’s desk.
Southern Maryland legislators participated in the Wednesday votes, though specific roll calls by district were not immediately detailed in session reports. The outcome could affect firearm availability for residents in St. Mary’s, Charles and Calvert counties who purchase handguns through licensed dealers.
With the session scheduled to end Monday, the Senate must reconcile the language difference or choose one version for final action. If the chambers cannot agree, both bills would die.
The legislation advances amid ongoing debates over gun violence prevention in Maryland, particularly in urban areas where converted firearms have appeared in incidents. No changes were made to possession rights for current lawful owners.
