Handgun permit bill awaits governor’s signature

A bill requiring a permitting process for residents to obtain a handgun passed the Senate March 14 by a 15-6 vote along party lines.

Senate Bill 2, with four amendments put forth by House Democrats, now awaits Gov. John Carney’s signature to become law. In a statement released after the bill passed, Carney said he looks forward to signing the bill, but did not say when that would happen.

“As I said in my State of the State address, reducing gun violence in our communities is a shared priority. We’ve made progress to keep our communities safe these past seven years,” Carney said. “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.” 

Senate Majority Whip Elizabeth Lockman, D-Wilmington, thanked her colleagues for passing the bill. Since 2019, she said about 600 people in Delaware have died from gun violence.

“Almost every gun used in a crime was at one time purchased legally. By raising the level of gun ownership in this state, Senate Bill 2 will save lives,” she said in a press release.

While Democrats celebrated, Republicans released a statement saying they expect the courts will find the permit-to-purchase law unconstitutional. Senate Republicans put forth 13 amendments, all of which were struck down.

“Our caucus offered 13 amendments during the discussion, all of which were deemed ‘unfriendly’ by the Senate majority,” said Senate Republican Leader Gerald Hocker, R-Ocean View, and Senate Republican Whip Brian Pettyjohn, R-Georgetown, in a joint statement. “These amendments included language that would clarify no firearm registry could be implemented, require prompt issuance of a permit if certain criteria were met, allow for a longer period in which individuals could acquire legal counsel should a permit be denied, and more. We are disappointed that none of the commonsense amendments presented passed. We are confident, however, whether the legislation was further amended today or not, the judicial system will find the permit-to-purchase law unconstitutional.”