Before Karla Mooney began her testimony Wednesday opposing legislation to put an 11% excise tax on guns and ammunition, she spread some love to the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee.
“Happy Valentine’s Day,” said Mooney, a firearms instructor in Southern Maryland.
But then she immediately criticized Senate Bill 784 — the Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act.
“I can tell you that this is a tax against people’s rights to defend themselves,” Mooney said. “You cannot throw money at things and expect it to change. It has to come from the heart.”
Jaka McKnight of Prince George’s County said her heart still aches from the death of her 13-year-old son, who was shot and killed on April 17, 2021.
“I’ve been propelled into a realm of unimaginable pain and loss. But despite this darkness, I refuse to stay silent,” she said. “I stand in support of the Comprehensive Community Safety Funding Act. This bill is not just a piece of legislation, but a beacon of hope for communities ravaged by gun violence.”