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Maryland Question 3, Prohibit Handguns Not on State Roster Referendum (1988)

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Maryland Question 3

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Election date

November 8, 1988

Topic
Business regulations and Firearms policy
Status

ApprovedApproved

Type
Veto referendum
Origin

Citizens



Maryland Question 3 was on the ballot as a veto referendum in Maryland on November 8, 1988. It was approved.

A "yes" vote was to uphold House Bill 1131, which: 

  • established a nine-member Handgun Roster Board to compile a list of permitted handguns based on their use for "legitimate sporting,
self-protection, or law enforcement purposes;
  • prohibited the manufacture or sale of handguns not included on the roster; and
  • prohibited the sale of handguns on which the manufacturer’s identification mark or number was destroyed, removed, or changed.

A "no" vote was to repeal House Bill 1131.


Election results

Massachusetts Question 1

Result Votes Percentage

Approved Yes

170,646 51.28%
No 162,103 48.72%
Results are officially certified.
Source


Text of measure

Ballot title

The ballot title for Question 3 was as follows:

QUESTION NO. 3

CHAPTER 533, ACTS OF 1988

PROHIBITING CERTAIN HANDGUNS

Prohibits the manufacture and sale of certain handguns; establishes a nine-member Handgun Roster Board that will compile, by considering various characteristics stated in the law, a roster of permitted handguns found to be useful for sporting, self-protection, or law enforcement purposes; provides for the Board's procedures, judicial review of its decisions, and penalties for violations of the law.

Full Text

The full text of this measure is available here.


Path to the ballot

See also: Signature requirements for ballot measures in Maryland

A veto referendum is a citizen-initiated ballot measure that asks voters whether to uphold or repeal an enacted law. This type of ballot measure is also called statute referendum, popular referendum, people's veto, or citizen's veto. There are 23 states that allow citizens to initiate veto referendums.

In Maryland, the number of signatures required for a veto referendum is equal to 3% of the votes cast in the last gubernatorial election.

For non-emergency bills, at least one-third of the required signatures must be filed with the secretary of state by the first of June on which the bill would have gone into effect. If this is accomplished, petitioners have until June 30 to turn in the remaining two-thirds of the required signatures.

For emergency bills or bills passed less than 45 days before June 1, referendum petitioners have until 30 days after the bill is passed by the legislature to turn in one-third of the required signatures. If this is accomplished, they have 30 more days to collect and submit the remaining two-thirds of the signatures. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval.

See also


External links

Footnotes