DOVER, Del. — The House Appropriations Committee of Delaware released legislation on Thursday, Dec. 14 that would add Delaware to a growing list of states requiring residents to complete a firearm training course and obtain a permit before purchasing a handgun.
The bill is sponsored by House Majority Leader Melissa Minor-Brown and Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth “Tizzy” Lockman. Senate Bill 2(S) proposes that most Delawareans can obtain a permit to purchase a handgun if they have completed an approved firearm training course within the last five years. Exceptions to this requirement include qualified active and retired law enforcement officers and individuals already permitted to carry a concealed deadly weapon by the State of Delaware, as they would have already undergone the necessary training.
House Majority Leader Minor-Brown emphasized the importance of firearm safety, stating, "In almost every aspect of our lives, people must undergo some version of training: to operate machinery, for medical purposes, to drive, to serve alcohol, and many other activities. Requiring people who want to buy a firearm to take a training course isn’t some undue burden; it’s basic common sense to learn how to safely load, use, and store a lethal weapon. This will help us reduce straw purchases, keep firearms out of the wrong hands, and ultimately make both the gun owners and the public safer."
Speaker Valerie Longhurst expressed her commitment to passing SB 2(S) when the General Assembly reconvenes in January, saying, "For the past decade, we have passed some of the most comprehensive gun safety laws in the country, making Delaware a leader by strengthening our background checks, closing loopholes, banning assault-style firearms and large-capacity magazines, and instituting red flag laws. I’ve been proud to sponsor many of these bills and stand up to the gun lobby. This bill is the next piece of the puzzle to keeping our communities safe, and I'm looking forward to bringing permit to purchase to the House floor as soon as we return to session in January."
SB 2(S) was originally released from the House Judiciary Committee in May and subsequently reassigned to the House Appropriations Committee due to House Rule No. 20, which mandates reassignment of bills with fiscal notes estimating a cost of $100,000 or more in any of the next three fiscal years to the Appropriations Committee.
The Delaware House of Representatives is currently in recess and will reconvene on Tuesday, January 9, 2024.