Democrat Delaware Gov. John Carney has signed two gun control bills, banning private citizens from carrying firearms at schools, polling places or “entertainment venues.”
It’s the latest move against gun owners in President Joe Biden’s home state. Last year, the state passed a ban on so-called “assault weapons” (House Bill 450) prompting a lawsuit by the Delaware Sportsmen’s Association. A federal district court ruled against the lawsuit, and the ruling has been appealed. Earlier this year attorneys general in 20 states, led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen, submitted an amicus brief supporting the sportsmen’s group.
According to the Washington Examiner, Delaware gun owners are “banned from carrying firearms at schools, entertainment venues and polling stations.” Also, under a separate bill signed by Carney, only on-duty police officers, security guards or active-duty military or Delaware National Guard may carry firearms at polling places during state, federal and local elections.
Critics of the new laws, and those challenging the semi-auto ban, say these laws are unconstitutional. They also raised questions about whether any of these measures will prevent crimes, including school shootings.
The Washington Examiner acknowledged the governor’s action will likely spawn lawsuits.
The newspaper recalled that last year Carney signed legislation raising the minimum age for a firearms purchase to 21 years, and also strengthening background checks. Legislation also banned so-called “large-capacity magazines.”
The past two years have shown considerable gun control activity in Democrat-controlled states, while legislatures dominated by Republicans have rejected gun control efforts. In the wake of last year’s Supreme Court ruling in the Bruen case, Democrat lawmakers in several states scrambled to make their laws tougher than existing statutes which were considered nullified by the high court decision.
