DELAWARE - Governor John Carney has signed legislation which will require Delawareans to take an approved training course in order to purchase a handgun.
The bill, now signed into law on May 16th, mandates the training course be taken within five years before someone can receive a permit to buy a handgun.
Senate Substitute 1 for Senate Bill 2 previously passed the Delaware Senate in March. Similar permit to purchase legislation in Maryland was challenged in federal court last year.
Carney previously underscored his support for the legislation.
“We’ve made progress to keep our communities safe these past seven years,” Carney said in March. We’ve banned assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-capacity magazines. We’ve passed red flag laws and prevented straw purchases. Passing this piece of legislation is another important step. I want to thank the members of the Delaware Senate and Delaware House of Representatives for their leadership on this issue, along with the advocates who have supported gun safety efforts in our state. I look forward to signing this bill into law.”
The Delaware State Sportsmen's Association says they are filing a lawsuit in U.S. District Court claiming that the law violates rights and will make the state less safe.
In a statement the group said in part, "This legislation is just another example of legislators and government officials demonizing objects rather than holding criminals responsible while ignoring the studies conducted by the federal CDC suggesting how to address those problems." It went on to say, "Permit-to-purchase is an open invitation to the unethical and politically motivated to discriminate based upon the vague, arbitrary and capricious language of the bill. It also runs roughshod over the right to not be subject to unlawful search and seizure."