Tomorrow is the big day. Three major gun control measures will be considered in the Senate Executive Committee. These three bills:
SB 68 (Townsend) ‘prohibits the manufacture, sale, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, receipt, possession, or transport of assault weapons in Delaware, subject to certain exceptions.’
SB 70 (Sokola) ‘creates the Delaware Large Capacity Magazine Prohibition Act of 2019. The Act includes clear definitions for the term “large-capacity magazine,” as an ammunition feeding device with a capacity to accept more than 15 rounds of ammunition. After enactment, possession of large-capacity magazine will be a class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a class E felony for any subsequent offense. Those who possess a prohibited large-capacity magazine when this Act takes effect must, by June 30, 2020, relinquish the large-capacity magazine to a law-enforcement agency in this State. This Act establishes a buyback program for large-capacity magazines…’.
(1) Creates an application process to obtain a handgun qualified purchaser card, to authorize the purchase of a handgun, or a firearms qualified purchaser card, to authorize the purchase of firearms other than a handgun. Like Senate Bill No. 69, this Act then requires licensed importers, manufacturers, or dealers, as well as unlicensed persons, to require an individual to present the individual’s handgun qualified purchaser card or firearms qualified purchaser card before selling or transferring a firearm to an individual. (2) Requires that an applicant complete a firearms training course within 2 years before the date of application, similar to what is required by Delaware’s concealed carry permit law. (3) Sends to law-enforcement information that is already collected at the time of sale and required under federal law to be made available to law-enforcement.
You know that the criminal organization known as the NRA will have their dead-enders out in force. Let your legislators know that this issue is important to you and that you support these bills. Democracy dies in silence.
Today’s agendas are of the Cream Of Wheat variety except with fewer lumps. Which has become the modus operandi for these first-day-back sessions.
Let’s search today’s House Agenda for something of interest. Hmmm, I know special interest legislation when I see it, and HB 125(Schwartzkopf) is special interest legislation. How do I know? Well, the synopsis doesn’t tell us what the bill would do. Hey, I think most of us would like to see growth in Delaware’s craft beverage cottage industry, but what does the bill do? Here’s what it would do:
Section 1. Amend Title 4 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:
§ 512B(8): The provisions of § 506 of this title to the contrary notwithstanding, it shall be permitted to have an interest in, be affiliated with, operate, or own another supplier or manufacturer located outside the State and have an interest in a farm winery, microbrewery, and/or craft distillery licensed under this chapter and actually located in this State, provided that the total domestic sales of all affiliated suppliers or manufacturers shall not exceed the maximum amount that a craft brewery, as currently defined or as hereafter amended by the Brewer’s Association or its successor organization, is permitted to brew or sell.
§ 512C(c)(5): The provisions of § 506 of this title to the contrary notwithstanding, to be permitted to have an interest in, be affiliated with, operate, or own another supplier or manufacturer located outside the State and have an interest in a farm winery, brewery-pub, and/or craft distillery licensed under this chapter and actually located in this State, provided that the total domestic sales of all affiliated suppliers or manufacturers shall not exceed the maximum amount that a craft brewery, as currently defined or as hereafter amended by the Brewer’s Association or its successor organization, is permitted to brew or sell.
The bold type is what’s being added to the Code. The rest of the language is already in the code. I repeat: Who is this bill designed to benefit? Who sought it? I think that legislation should provide fair notice as to who is lobbying for it. This bill seems designed to hide the bill’s proponents from public view. Why? I mean, it’s probably not a bad bill, so why the secrecy?
What can I say? There’s not much on the agenda.
The Senate Agenda is a bit more substantive. SB 11(Sokola) appears designed to assist Newark by making it eligible for compensation for certain tax-exempt state-owned properties within the municipality. All three counties, plus Wilmington, Dover, and Georgetown already qualify for such compensation.
SB 60 (Poore) ‘clarifies that in order to be found guilty of prostitution the person must be 18 years or older’. Good bill, especially since many, if not most, of those the bill would impact are forced into prostitution. Why further victimize the victims?
I gave you a preview of what is shaping up as a huge committee day tomorrow. Look for one of my magnum opuses (opi?) then.