DOVER, Del. (AP) - Democratic lawmakers in Delaware have introduced two gun-control bills that outlaw high-capacity magazines and ban the purchase of handguns unless the buyer first undergoes a firearms training course, gets fingerprinted and obtains a state permit.
The permit bill introduced Thursday requires a person wanting to buy a handgun to complete an approved training course within five years of applying for the state permit.
Individuals who have been permitted to carry a concealed deadly weapon would be exempt from the training requirement because they already are required to complete a firearm training course.
After completing a training course, a person would have to submit a permit application to the state Department of Safety and Homeland Security. The department would have 30 days to fingerprint applicants, confirm that they are legally permitted to own a handgun, and issue a “qualified purchaser card.” The card would be valid for 180 days.
With certain exceptions, anyone convicted of a felony, a crime of violence or domestic violence would be prohibited from obtaining a purchaser card. State officials also could deny a card to any person “who poses a danger of causing physical injury to self or others by owning, purchasing, or possessing firearms.” The legislation does not explain how that determination would be made or who would make it.
State officials would be required to keep demographic data on applicants seeking purchaser cards, including race, ethnicity, national origin, sex, gender, age, disability, and English language proficiency.
The bill requires anyone who sells, transfers or delivers a handgun to submit federal firearms transaction records to the state, along with identification number of the purchase card used. If no federal record was completed, they must submit the information on a form provided by the state. Gun dealers also would be required to retain copies of all records for all handguns sold, transferred, or delivered.
State officials would maintain a searchable database of all records received, which would be open for inspection by any judge, justice of the peace, or law enforcement officer.
Anyone denied a card would have 30 days to request a hearing in Justice of the Peace Court.
Supporters of the bill say at least 14 other states and the District of Columbia have adopted some form of gun permitting law.
The other bill introduced Thursday bans the sale of magazines capable of holding more than 17 rounds and would give existing owners of such magazines until June 30, 2022, to surrender them to the state.
“Responsible gun owners have no legitimate need to fire off 17 rounds without reloading,” said Senate President Pro Tem David Sokola, D-Newark, the bill’s chief sponsor.
At least nine states and the District of Columbia have enacted similar laws banning large-capacity magazines, according to Democratic lawmakers.
Gov. John Carney and Attorney General Kathy Jennings, both Democrats, support the gun-control measures.
“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,” Carney said in a prepared statement.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to consider the bills next Wednesday.
Please read our comment policy before commenting.