Gov. Carney signs permit to purchase bill
DOVER, Del. – A piece of legislation that lawmakers and law enforcement say will save lives the First State was signed into law Thursday afternoon.
Permit to Purchase
Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2 requires would-be handgun purchasers to obtain a permit, and complete training courses, before doing so.
The bill makes Delaware the 14th state in the nation to require a permit to purchase a handgun, along with Washington, D.C. Advocates for the bill in Delaware have been asking for the measure to become law for more than five years.
“Emotions are high”
“Emotions are high, and I can’t stop smiling,” said Kristin Bruce, chapter lead for Moms Demand Action in Delaware. “It just proves that persistence does pay off, and we can make change if we all work together.”
Mara Gorman, volunteer for the chapter, says the signing of the bill brought to mind the victims lost to gun violence. “We want to be one of the safest states in the country. Gun violence is not acceptable here, and we are going to work to do everything in our power to end it completely,” she said.
Governor John Carney called it “the one gun safety measure” that will truly reduce gun violence. Paired with red flag legislation, and group violence intervention programs in the state, Gov. Carney says it’s a solid start towards a gun violence-free future.
Court Challenges
While lawmakers celebrate the new measure, they’re also preparing for what they call inevitable court challenges.
One lawsuit has already been filed in federal court by the Delaware State Sportsman’s Association, challenging the constitutionality of the bill.
Gov. Responds to Concerns
Governor Carney also acknowledged that the law won’t completely prevent criminals from buying guns illegally.
“There’s no intention to eliminate the second amendment,” said Gov. Carney. “It’s really to regulate within the second amendment.”
The Governor also called the complaint [about criminals] “a legitimate one.”
“It’s on us to make sure that we have provisions, mostly in law enforcement for that problem, to prevent people who are prohibited from possessing,” Gov. Carney said.
