Stun Guns Made Legal in Anne Arundel

County lawmakers repealed a law banning stun guns from the general public in Anne Arundel County with a bill that passed narrowly on Monday night.

The devices, commonly known under the brand Taser, are already used by Anne Arundel County law enforcement officers, but they are the sole exception to the ban on the weapons made in 1985.

The bill, sponsored by Councilman Derek Fink (R-3^rd District), repeals that ban and authorizes the general public in the county to purchase and carry stun guns as a means of self-defense. The only requirements are that the owners are 18 and older, undergo a criminal background check and receive operating instructions—the same requirements for obtaining a handgun, Fink said.

Stun guns are allowed in all noncharter counties in Maryland, as well as Montgomery and Prince George’s counties.  Fink said repealing the ban on the devices puts the county in compliance with state law.

Approval for the bill on Monday was split along party lines, with councilmen Chris Trumbauer (D-6^th District), Peter Smith (D-1^st District) and Jamie Benoit (D-4^th District) voting against it.

The three dissenting councilmen all voiced “disappointment” that there were no representatives present from local law enforcement agencies to provide testimony on their stance on the issue.

“I think this does have some public safety implications,” Trumbauer said. “It would have been nice to ask some experts about this. It’s too bad they aren’t here.”

During public testimony, the audience also appeared split between those who wanted another nonlethal means of protection in an assault and those were concerned about the weapon’s ability to injure or kill an assailant.

One woman, who described herself as disabled, said she had no means of fighting back if she were assaulted.

“Not only can I not fight back, I can’t run away,” said Debra Miller. “We need a practical self-defense tool outside of our own frail bodies.”

Millard Snowden, a resident of Glen Burnie, described himself as an electrician who has been shocked on the job multiple times and has lived to tell the tale.

“I’m living proof that these Taser guns are not going to kill you,” Snowden said.

Fink was quick to provide statistics from a study conducted by Wake Forest University in which more than 1,000 people were stunned with Taser-brand devices and only 0.3 percent were injured.

Trumbauer noted those test cases were conducted by trained police officers, not the general public.

During the vote, Smith explained his reasons for voting nay.

“I don’t think there’s enough data to capture the significance of making this a free-for-all,” Smith said, also noting that there should be training requirements for such a device.

Having met approval, the bill will move to the desk of the County Executive to be signed. Upon signature, stun guns can legally be owned within 45 days.