Maryland · House Bill · 2026 Session
HB820
Maryland House Bill 820 — Handgun Permits – Special Endorsement for Security Clearance Holders

Status ● Introduced Effective Oct 1, 2026 Passage Likelihood L

How Is This Bill Enforced

Enforcement Authority
The Secretary of State Police administers handgun permit endorsements. No AI-related enforcement authority is established.
Private Right of Action
No private right of action. Enforcement is exclusive to the designated authority.
Penalties
No damages provisions. This bill concerns handgun permit endorsements and does not establish civil remedies.

What This Bill Requires

Verbatim statutory text on the left; plain-language analysis and a per-section checklist on the right. Numbered markers cross-link to the matching checklist row.

Statutory Text
Analysis & Obligations
Pub. Safety Art. § 5-315
Special endorsement for security clearance holders

(A) IN THIS SECTION, "LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL" HAS THE MEANING STATED IN § 4–201 OF THE CRIMINAL LAW ARTICLE.

(B) A PERMIT ISSUED UNDER THIS SUBTITLE SHALL BEAR A SPECIAL ENDORSEMENT THAT SHOWS THAT THE PERMIT HOLDER HAS ENHANCED PRIVILEGES TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT A HANDGUN IF, BASED ON A BACKGROUND INVESTIGATION, THE SECRETARY DETERMINES THAT THE PERMIT HOLDER IS: (1) A CURRENT EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WHO CURRENTLY HOLDS TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION SECURITY CLEARANCE; OR (2) A RETIRED EMPLOYEE OF THE UNITED STATES GOVERNMENT WHO HELD A TOP SECRET/SENSITIVE COMPARTMENTED INFORMATION SECURITY CLEARANCE FOR AT LEAST 10 CONSECUTIVE YEARS IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING RETIREMENT FROM FEDERAL EMPLOYMENT.

(C) NOTWITHSTANDING ANY LAW OR ORDINANCE THAT PROHIBITS THE WEARING, CARRYING, OR TRANSPORTING OF A HANDGUN AT A PLACE, A PERSON WHO HAS A PERMIT BEARING AN ENDORSEMENT UNDER THIS SECTION MAY WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT A HANDGUN AT ANY PLACE WHERE A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICIAL IS AUTHORIZED TO WEAR, CARRY, OR TRANSPORT A HANDGUN IN THE PERFORMANCE OF THE OFFICIAL'S DUTIES.

(D) THE SECRETARY SHALL ADOPT REGULATIONS NECESSARY TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION.

This section creates a new provision in the Maryland Public Safety Article requiring the Secretary of State Police to issue a special endorsement on handgun permits for current or retired federal employees with TS/SCI security clearances. Endorsed holders receive expanded carry privileges equivalent to law enforcement officials. The section also directs the Secretary to adopt implementing regulations.

This section contains no AI-related obligations and falls entirely outside the AI compliance taxonomy.

Passage Likelihood

Low
Status Introduced
Chamber No passage
Committee No action
Majority party (No data)
Bipartisan No
Prior session None

Legislative History

2026-02-04 First Reading Judiciary
2026-02-05 Hearing 2/25 at 1:00 p.m.

Entry Last Reviewed

2026-05-20
AI generated