ANNAPOLIS, Md. -- A bill that would ban assault weapons is at a stalemate in a state Senate committee and Sen. John Giannetti has the tie-breaking vote. What will he do?

There's no decision yet and both sides of the issue promise to run the senator out of office if he doesn't vote their way, WBAL-TV 11 News reporter David Collins reported.

Giannetti is in the crosshairs of an emotional debate over gun control. He's making a tough call as the only undecided member of a Senate committee considering a bill to ban assault weapons, (Senate Bill 288: Maryland Assault Weapons Ban of 2004)

"It's a lot of pressure. It was much more than I thought it was going to be. There are people on both sides that have come out and said, 'Hey, if you vote for the bill, we are going to run somebody against you," Giannetti said.

Lawmakers are considering a local ban on 45 semi-automatic firearms before the federal ban expires on Sept. 13.

The ban would prohibit weapons like the Bushmaster rifle used in the Washington, D.C.-area sniper shootings. The bill has the backing of 70 legislators and has prompted a deluge of correspondence to Giannetti's Annapolis office. Receptionists have received more than 1,000 e-mails with the opinions are evenly split, Collins said.

Gov. Bob Ehrlich opposed the federal ban as a congressman, and according to his press office, he hasn't changed his mind. Senate committee chairman Brian Frosh said the decision should a no-brainer.

"What we are talking about is merely extending the federal ban [that] expires in September. There is no reason to let it die in Maryland," Frosh said.

Giannetti admitted that he walked into something he didn't expect and is taking his sudden status as power broker very seriously.

"I represent Prince George's and Anne Arundel [counties], I am going to talk with all the law enforcement officials in all of those counties, State's Attorneys in both counties, the chief of police, the state [police] superintendent, the fraternal order of police to find out the actual information. I am going to be off the record with all these individuals and that's been very good," Giannetti said.

The Senate committee could call for a vote on the bill as early as Wednesday.

Stay with TheWBALChannel.com and WBAL-TV 11 News for the latest Session 2004 updates.