Moms Demand Action Volunteers Drove Hundreds of Calls and Emails to Lawmakers in Support of Bills
The Delaware chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement applauding Governor John Carney for signing bills to disarm domestic abusers and regulate ghost guns. HB 124 prohibits domestic abusers from possessing firearms, while HB 125 comprehensively regulates the manufacture, sale and possession of undetectable, untraceable ghost guns. Moms Demand Action volunteers advocated for the bills at the statehouse, calling and emailing lawmakers to urge them to take action on gun safety.
“Protecting survivors of domestic abuse and keeping untraceable firearms out of Delaware communities are common sense gun safety measures that will save lives,” said Mara Gorman, a volunteer with the Delaware chapter of Moms Demand action. “We are thankful to Governor Carney for signing these important bills and reaffirming his commitment to keeping our state safe, and we look forward to working with lawmakers to continue passing crucial gun safety legislation.”
About the Bills:
- HB 124 provides survivors and victims with increased opportunity to remain safe by prohibiting abusers from possessing firearms upon receiving an emergency domestic violence restraining order. This bill will ensure that domestic violence victims are protected during all times that there is a valid Protection From Abuse order in effect.
- HB 125 prohibits ghost guns, including undetectable guns which are not identifiable by walk-through metal detectors, and disguised guns which are fully functioning firearms that resemble everyday objects, like smart phones, lighters, canes, etc. It also prohibits anyone who is not a federally licensed firearms dealer from selling, transferring, or possessing an untraceable or unserialized firearm or firearm receiver and thwarts efforts by unlicensed individuals to manufacture firearms using a 3D printer or distributing computer code used to 3D print firearms.
During the upcoming legislative session, state lawmakers in the Delaware House of Representatives will have the opportunity to pass SB 3, which was left unaddressed at the end of the 2021 session. The bill would create a handgun qualified purchaser card in Delaware wherein a purchaser would have to obtain and present a valid permit before any handgun purchase. Many nearby states, including Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, as well as the District of Columbia, already require a purchase permit for handgun purchases.