Living in Maryland does effect my strong feelings on firearms carry issues. I spend a lot of time in Delaware because my wife's family is mostly in Sussex Co. and we will probably be migrating there.
I do appreciate the DE / MD differences. No doubt, MD gun laws are some of the very worst in the country. DE is enlightened, by comparison.
Shall Issue is a hot button issue for me. I have a non-resident FL CCW permit and carry concealed much of the time when I am visiting DE. I have never been comfortable with open carry - personal preference.
It bugs me (a lot) that, the minute I move to DE, my FL permit will no longer be valid in DE and I probably won't be allowed to CCW in my new home state for at least 6 months. My rights as a resident will be less than my rights as a visitor. That is absurd.
And it will take me a couple hours, at most, to get my drivers license and vehicle registered. Personal references and publishing notices clearly should be unnecessary for exercising a fundamental constitutional right.
There is a monumental difference between the fundamental constitutional right to Keep and Bear Arms and the privilege of driving a car.
The entire nation should be "Shall Issue" or "Constitutional Carry," IMHO. A CCW from any state should be honored in every state, like a drivers license is. Realistically, the MVA is probably best equipped to issue a CCW permit most efficiently and I can see no reason why it couldn't be part of a drivers license (like a motorcycle endorsement.) As I wrote in my original posting...
It should not take any longer for a citizen to be issued a CCW than it does to get a drivers license, instead of 6 months. "Keep and Bear Arms" is a fundamental constitutional right and driving is a privilege.
Any person who is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm should be quickly approved for CCW. Personal references and publication in a newspaper should not be unnecessary. The cost of required training may be burdensome to the poor and is therefore discriminatory. Training requirements should be revised and streamlined.
I'm not trying to pick a fight here and, for the record, I'm not planning to ever be a candidate for the Delaware General Assembly. I expect state representatives to follow The Constitution and hope Delaware passes Shall Issue before I move there.
I don't doubt that Maryland will still be infringing on the constitutional rights of citizens to carry firearms there when I finally move away. "Free State," my @@@.