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WEBVTT SERIOUS AND IMPORTANT BILL.VANESSA: BUT BALTIMORE CITYCOUNCILWOMAN MARY PAT CLARKEISN'T SURE IF SHE WILL SUPPORT ABILL THAT WILL TOUGHEN THEPENALTY FOR ILLEGAL GUNPOSSESSIONMARY PAT CLARKE: I'M CONCERNEDABOUT PEOPLE, FOR EXAMPLE, WHOARE CARRYING ILLEGAL GUNS TOPROTECT THEMSELVES BECAUSETHEY'RE SO SCAREDVANESSA: THAT STATEMENT DRAWINGSHARP CRITICISM FROM BALTIMOREPOLICE COMMISSIONER KEVIN DAVIS,WHO SAYS, "THIS IS AN IMPORTANTMOMENT FOR THE LEADERS OF OURCITY TO ACIT'S NOT A TIME FORPHILOSOPHICAL, HYPOTHETICAL WHATIFI CAN ONLY IMAGINE HOWCOMFORTABLE IT MUST BE TO BE ABYSTANDER, BUT TOUGH MOMENTSCALL FOR DECISIVE LEADERSHIP.THIS IS ABOUT THOSE CONVICTED OFILLEGALLY POSSESSING A HANDGUN."UNDER CURRENT STATE LAW, ILLEGALGUN POSSESSION CARRIES A MINIMUM30 DAY JAIL SENTENCE FOR A FIRSTOFFENSE, AND IT CAN BESUSPENDED.THE PROPOSED CITY ORDINANCEWOULD CARRY A MINIMUM ONE YEARJAIL SENTENCE AND ALLOW NOSUSPENDED SENTENCES.THE BILL WILL BE INTRODUCEDMONDAY, AND ASSIGNED TO THEJUDICIARY AND LEGISLATIVEINVESTIGATIONS COMMITTEE.CLARKE IS VICE CHAIR.MARY PAT CLARKE: WE KNOW THEDANGERS OUT THERE.WE KNOW THE VIOLENCE THAT COMESFROM GUNS, BUT STILL WE NEED TOTAKE THIS SERIOUSLY, AND HAVEHEARINGS AND CONSIDERATIONS, ANDTHEN MOVE FORWARVANESSA: IN A TWEET, COMMITTEECHAIR ERIC COSTELLO SAID, "IWILL VOTE FOR A BILL WITH AMANDATORY ONE YEAR SENTENCE FORILLEGALLY CARRYING FIREARM.THIS IS LIFE OR DEATH, PERIOD.STANDING WITH MAYOR CATHERINEPUGH WHEN SHE ANNOUNCED THEPROPOSAL, COUNCIL PRESIDENT JACKYOUNG SAYS THIS LEGISLATION ISNECESSARY.JACK YOUNG: TO THE INDIVIDUALSWHO DECIDE TO SETTLE PETTY BEEFSAND LOCAL SQUABBLES BY PULLINGTHE TRIGGER OF A GUN, YOU'RE ONNOTICE.IF YOU'RE CAUGHT WITH AN ILLEGALGUN, YOU WILL DO TIME.VANESSA: COUNCILMAN KRIS BURNETTSAYS THE PROPOSAL WILLDISPROPORTIONATELY AFFECT BLACKCOMMUNITIECOUNCILMAN RYAN DORSEY CALLED ITBAD POLICYAGAIN, THE BILL WILL BEINTRODUCED AT MONDAY'S CITYCOUNCIL MEETING.LIVE OUTSIDE CITY HALL, VANESSA

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A tougher gun law proposed by Baltimore Mayor Catherine Pugh is drawing mixed reaction from City Council members.The legislation calls for a tougher penalty for illegal gun possession in the city. The bill will be introduced at Monday's City Council meeting and will be assigned to the Judiciary and Legislative Investigations Committee.In a tweet, committee Chairman Eric Costello said he plans to vote for the bill. Costello finished the tweet by writing, "This is life or death, period."Pugh was joined by Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis and City Council President Jack Young when she announced the bill on Friday."To the individuals who decide to settle petty beefs and squabbles by pulling the trigger of a gun, you're on notice. If you're caught with an illegal gun, you will do time," Young said.Under current state law, illegal gun possession carries a minimum 30-day jail sentence for a first offense, and it can be suspended.The proposed city law would carry a minimum one-year jail sentence and allow no suspended sentences.Mary Pat Clarke, vice chairwoman of the committee that bill will be assigned to, said at this point she's not sure if she'll support the bill."I'm concerned about people, for example, who are carrying illegal guns to protect themselves because they're so scared and that's the first thing I'm thinking of," Clarke said. "We know the dangers out there. We know the violence that comes from guns, but still we need to take this seriously and have hearings and considerations and then move forward."Baltimore Police Commissioner Kevin Davis released a statement Sunday, saying, "This is an important moment for the leaders of our city to act. It's not a time for philosophical, hypothetical 'what ifs.' I can only imagine how comfortable it must be to be a bystander, but tough moments call for decisive leadership. This is about those convicted of illegally possessing a handgun."Publicly, Young and Costello join Councilmen Leon Pinkett, Robert Stokes and Isaac Schleiffer as expressing support for the bill.Councilmen Ryan Dorsey and Kristerfer Burnett oppose the legislation.