DOVER, De. - In the shadow of two mass shootings in America, Delaware's democratic leaders are considering new gun safety measures.
"The time has passed, we should have done this long ago. we introduced two of these bills two years ago. There was a little bit of a delay, at that time and then last year of course COVID hit so we weren't able to get the bills that were introduced in the 150th general assembly," said Senate President Pro Tempore Dave Sokola (D-Newark).
Senator Sokola, the primary sponsor behind SB6, is proposing outlawing the sale of large-capacity magazines that hold more than 17 rounds. The bill also aims to create a buyback program, which would give gun owners up until June 30, 2022 to sell their large-capacity magazines back to the state.
"Limits for public safety are reasonable, and they have withstood court challenges in other states, and so I believe it's long past time that we put a limit here. The entire country lived for ten years with a ten round capacity limit - from 1995 to 2005," said Sokola.
Also in the Senate, Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth "Tizzy" Lockman (D-Wilmington) has put forth SB3, which would require people to complete firearm training and obtain a permit before purchasing a handgun. After completing a training course, Delaware residents legally eligible to purchase a handgun would then be required to submit an application to the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The department would have 30 days to fingerprint applicants, confirm they are legally permitted to own a handgun, and issue a qualified purchaser card required at the point of sale.
"Our founders were the ones who amended it, they intended it to be a living document, and we have a responsibility to recognize if there are other things that we need to do today - within the grounds of the constitution, and I think that these are reasonable proposals around public safety," said Sokola of the two bills.
Senator John Carney shared his support for the bills in a statement released Thursday.
“It’s past time for serious action to address gun violence that plagues communities across our country. The tragic and senseless shootings in Boulder, Colo., and Atlanta only make that more clear. I agree with President Biden that Congress should take immediate action to protect American communities. In the meantime, we won’t wait to do what’s right in Delaware. Thank you to members of the General Assembly for their leadership and partnership on this issue.”
But 2nd amendment advocacy groups say paying for a permit creates a constitutional concern.
"When you put a cash barrier in front of a right, does it become a right? It's no longer a right at that point, it's who can pay to play?" explained Mitchell Denham, president of Delaware Gun Rights. "If this bill actually would stop crime, if it would prevent people from dying, I may stand behind it. But I can't stand behind something that only is going to take guns out of the hands of good people, and prevent poor people from actually obtaining firearms."
Denham says there is also a concern about voices being heard on both sides of the argument due to the virtual session being conducted. He says he brings hundreds of members to these types of hearings, but the legislature's zoom meetings have a cap on how many can participate. Denham is urging the legislature to postpone hearing the two proposed bills until everyone who wants to participate has an opportunity to do so.
"They're 100% good intention - everybody on both sides whether you're pro gun or anti-gun wants the same thing: nobody wants innocent people killed by bad guys with guns. Period. I don't, they don't, and it's where we all agree. We just don't agree on the execution of how you get there," said Denham, who added he would like to sit down with members of the legislature and those who do not support guns to find a common sense solution.
Both SB3 and SB6 are scheduled to be heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee on .