Delaware lawmakers advance pair of new gun control bills

Amid increased pressure from progressives to implement new gun-control measures, some states are actively working in pursuit of that goal.

As one notable example, Delaware state senators recently voted to pass two policies further regulating the rights of residents to purchase and carry firearms.

Details of the bills

Although the 13-8 vote in favor of the measures fell largely along party lines, state Sen. Bruce Ennis, a Democrat, voted with Republicans against them.

The first bill seeks to require a permit for Delawareans to obtain a permit before buying a handgun.

If successful, the new process means buyers would have to complete a training course and background check at their own expense. Furthermore, individuals would be required to submit an application to the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, which would issue a qualified purchaser card to eligible applicants.

Senate Bill 3 also aims to create a statewide database of everyone who has applied for such a permit within the previous two years, ostensibly for the purpose of tracking firearms and identifying criminals. The bill includes an exception for those residents who have already obtained a concealed-carry permit.

According to the language of the second bill, so-called “large-capacity” magazines would be banned across the state.

Nationwide efforts

That bill calls for the creation of a buyback program requiring owners of such magazines to sell them back to the state government by June 30, 2022. Owners would receive a payment of $10 for each magazine surrendered.

Anyone who refuses would be subject to a Class B misdemeanor on a first offense and a Class E felony thereafter.

The bills could be considered by the state House later this month and Democratic Gov. John Carney has signaled that he supports both measures.

Recent mass shootings have amplified calls for stricter gun laws in the U.S., and President Joe Biden has been clear in his desire to impose such measures on the federal level.

“I don’t need to wait another minute, let alone an hour, to take common-sense steps that will save the lives in the future, and to urge my colleagues in the House and Senate to act,” Biden said last month. “We can ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines in this country once again. I got that done when I was a senator. It passed. It was the law for the longest time. And it brought down these mass killings. We should do it again.”

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