This Morning, Hundreds of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action Volunteers will Rally with Lawmakers at the State House Hours Ahead of Hearing on Bill to Stop the Spread of DIY Machine Guns
ANNAPOLIS, MD. — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety and its grassroots network, the Maryland chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, unveiled new polling showing overwhelming, bipartisan support among Maryland voters for new safety standards to combat the proliferation of DIY machine guns. The poll, conducted by SurveyUSA, found that 84% of likely 2026 Maryland voters support requiring gun manufacturers to design their pistols so they cannot be easily and quickly converted into fully automatic weapons using illegal devices like “Glock switches.”
“Maryland voters are sending a clear message: pistols shouldn’t be built to be easily converted into machine guns,” said Elaine Arndt, a volunteer with the Maryland chapter of Moms Demand Action. “When 84% of voters across the political spectrum agree on a solution, it’s no longer a debate. Marylanders are tired of seeing their safety compromised, and it’s time for our lawmakers to listen to the voters and hold the gun industry to a responsible standard.”
“As chair of the Public Safety subcommittee, protecting Maryland families is my top priority,” said Delegate Nicole Williams. “For too long, we have allowed the gun lobby to set the rules, despite clear public opposition and demands from constituents for common sense gun safety laws that save lives. The data is clear, as is the public support; I will be using my gavel and my voice to protect Marylanders from gun violence.”
“When 84% of Maryland voters call for higher safety standards, they are demanding our laws keep pace with dangerous technology,” said Senator Sara Love. “As a matter of basic accountability, pistols should not be manufactured to be easily converted into machine guns. We have a clear mandate to protect our constituents from these rapid-fire weapons, and I’m prepared to lead the charge in holding the gun industry accountable and getting this vital legislation across the finish line.”
The release of this data comes as the Maryland General Assembly considers HB 577 / SB 334, sponsored by Senator Sara Love and Delegate Nicole Williams. SB 334 will be heard this Thursday in the Senate Judicial Proceedings Committee. Today at 9:30am, hundreds of Maryland Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action volunteers will gather with lawmakers and partners for a press conference at Lawyer’s Mall to kick-off their annual Advocacy Day where they’ll call for the passage of the legislation.
Toplines from the Poll Include:
- Overwhelming Support for Safer Gun Designs: 84% of respondents support requiring manufacturers to design pistols so they cannot be turned into a fully automatic machine gun in minutes using common household tools.
- A Clear Legislative Priority: 87% of voters said state legislators should make gun violence prevention a priority during the 2026 session.
- Bipartisan Consensus: 78% of voters — including majorities of Democrats, Independents, and Republicans — believe Maryland’s gun laws should be strengthened or kept as they are, with only 14% seeking to weaken them.
- Electoral Impact: 79% of voters say a candidate’s position on gun safety is important in determining their vote, and 66% are more likely to support a candidate who favors strengthening gun safety laws.
The survey was conducted by SurveyUSA among 887 likely 2026 voters across Maryland from December 12 through December 17, 2025.
Illegal pistol converters, otherwise known as “switches,” allow a standard pistol to fire at a rate of up to 1,200 rounds per minute. While the devices themselves are illegal under federal and state law, many manufacturers continue to sell pistols with designs that make these conversions easy, even for amateurs. HB 577 / SB 334 would require new handguns sold in Maryland to meet basic safety standards to prevent these easy modifications, following a bill recently enacted in California. In Baltimore alone, police recovered 65 modified Glocks in 2024, nearly double the amount from the previous year. These devices have been recovered across the state, including in Clarksburg, Frederick, Towson, and were used in the 2023 mass shooting at Morgan State University.
In an average year in Maryland, 797 people die by guns and 1,745 are wounded. Gun violence costs Maryland $10.5 billion each year, of which $383.9 million is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in Maryland is available here.