Lawmakers in Maryland are in session and they have a full agenda. Two of the main points the Democratic-led House of Delegates and Senate are debating involve ghost guns in the state, and holding pharmaceutical companies responsible for price hikes. What does this mean for those in Maryland?
“It is a good news, bad news situation,” says Kush Arora of Price Benowitz, LLP. “Pharmaceutical companies should not be able to raise their prices on certain prescription medication, sometimes to hundreds or thousands of dollars, but will Marylanders pay the price on some of their freedoms instead? If the new gun law restrictions go into place, they just might.”
If the gun laws being proposed are put into effect, consumers could no longer purchase firearms dubbed as “ghost guns” in the state. These include firearm kits that are purchased online and plastic guns created with the use of a 3D printer. These firearms do not usually have serial numbers and are largely unregulated.
Senator Kathleen M. Dumais stated the reason for introducing the legislation is because these firearms are considered “controversial.” Does that mean though, that Marylanders should be prevented from having access to them? The federal courts have not yet placed a ban on these firearms, so why should those in Maryland have their rights restricted?
In addition to the proposed gun laws, legislators are also trying to create a drug affordability review board. This board would be responsible for reviewing current drug prices, and taking pharmaceutical companies to task when they increase those costs. If this law is passed, pharmaceutical companies would need to justify many increases, showing they were required for more than mere profit sake. The board will also set limits on the amount the state would be responsible for paying for certain drugs.
Whether either of these laws or more will make it through legislation and into Maryland’s legal statutes is a question only time will tell. Legislators expect immense pushback from the NRA when debating the new gun laws, and it is the second time lawmakers have attempted to place restrictions on pharmaceutical companies.
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