Delaware Member Alert: Oppose State Licensing Scheme

Delaware NSSF^® members and all federally licensed firearms retailers are requested to testify against Senate Bill 300 in the Senate Executive Committee on Wednesday, May 13 at 2 p.m. SB 300 creates an expensive new state licensing regime for firearm dealers while adding inspections, compliance mandates and penalties that will directly affect federal firearms licensee (FFL) operations.

SB 300 requires firearm retailers to obtain a state license to sell or transfer firearms in addition to the current federal license requirements.

The bill:

• Creates a second layer of state licensing on top of existing federal regulation;
• Imposes new state license fees for all FFLs;
• Creates a state government registry of all firearms sold, purchased and transferred in Delaware;
• Creates undue hardship on businesses by requiring monthly inventories as opposed to annual or semi-annual inventories;
• Subjects licensees to recurring inspections by Delaware State Police;
• Adds heightened security requirements that will require costly facility, monitoring or system upgrades.

Lawmakers need to hear clearly that SB 300 will burden lawful firearms businesses with additional fees, inspections, staffing hurdles and regulatory risk without addressing criminal misuse by bad actors. Delaware’s lawful firearm dealers should not be forced to absorb duplicative state mandates that jeopardize small-business operations and lawful commerce.

NSSF members, FFLs, employees, business partners and affected community members should make plans to appear in person and testify against SB 300. If you are unable to appear in person, you can testify virtually by signing up here.