Gov. O'Malley to lay out major gun-control legislation

Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley (D) is set to lay out major new gun-control proposals that would include bans on assault weapons and large-capacity magazines.

The potential presidential candidate will lay out the proposals on Monday at an event with New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg (I). O'Malley said in December, after the shootings in Newtown, Conn., that he'd seek out new gun-control regulations. He is the second potential presidential candidate to do so — New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D) released his own proposals last week.

"It will ban military-style assault weapons that have no place on the streets of Baltimore City or anywhere else in our state. And it will also limit the size of magazines to make it harder for criminals to gun down police officers or schoolchildren," O'Malley will say in the speech, according to CNN. "It will have a common-sense licensing requirements for handguns that respect the traditions of hunters and sportsmen and -women."

O'Malley's proposals will also include investing in mental health services.

The moves by the two blue-state governors hint that they might have an eye on the national political landscape and a 2016 Democratic primary, as neither waited to see what proposals would likely be approved by Congress before crafting their own plans.