In what could only be described as a complete failure of the legislative process, Delaware State Senate Democrats today held a virtual hearing on SB 6, a ban on standard-capacity magazines, and SB 3, an extremely restrictive permit to purchase process. These legislators are fast tracking the bills to strip your Second Amendment rights while at the same time silencing your First Amendment. The Senate Judiciary Committee had over 700 people signed up to provide testimony on SB3 and SB6 only to limit the time one could speak to 1 minute and only hearing less than 20 individuals from the public. They also did not allow questions to be directed to the bill’s sponsor or discussions on the impacts that the bills will have. SB 3 and SB 6 are expected to get a full floor vote tomorrow less than 24 hours after the “alleged” public comment virtual meeting.

SB 3 will create one of the most restrictive permit-to-purchase processes in the country which will include providing a sworn, written affirmation that the person is not prohibited from possessing a firearm, a physical description of the applicant, submitting to fingerprinting by the state police and completing a firearm training course with live fire shooting exercises conducted on a range, including the expenditure of a minimum of 100 rounds of ammunition. Also among the requirements is that annual reports must be compiled to include demographic data on applicants seeking a handgun qualified purchaser card, including race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, age, disability and English language proficiency be provided to the state. Not only does this bill create the permit process, but it will also develop an instate gun registry of every firearm an individual owns.

Over the past year over 8 million new gun owners (many of those women and minorities) have purchased firearms to protect themselves and their families during the turmoil the country experienced. This new law would create financial and logistical obstacles for someone seeking to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

SB 6 will essentially create a government sponsored confiscation of standard-capacity magazines and also create a new class of felons for anyone who does not comply. Any Delaware resident who possesses a standard-capacity magazine shall no later than June 30, 2022, relinquish the large-capacity magazine to a state law-enforcement agency. A compensation program will be created to allow a resident to relinquish a magazine to the state police, or a local law-enforcement agency participating in the program, in exchange for a compensation in the amount of $10 for each large-capacity magazine.

NSSF^® urges all hunters, target shooters and gun owners to contact their state senator to make their feelings known. If these bills pass, law-abiding gun owners will no longer be able to purchase and own the most popular magazines in America and will be unable to legally purchase a firearm to protect themselves in a timely manner. These bills will unfortunately do nothing to address violent crime and public safety and will only cost the state revenue, jobs and taxes.