The Delaware House Administration Committee released two gun control measures.
Under one bill, health professionals would have to report to law enforcement anyone they believe presents a danger to themselves or others. If a judge agrees, the person would have to relinquish their firearms. There is a due process procedure for returning firearms to the individual.
The bill would prohibit a person committed to a hospital for treatment of a mental condition from possessing or obtaining a firearm. A person charged with a violent crime who is found not guilty by insanity, guilty but mentally ill, or mentally incompetent to stand trial also would not be permitted to obtain a gun, under the bill.
The Beau Biden Gun Violence Prevention Act – named after the late former Delaware Attorney General – the bill won unanimous support from the House Administration Committee.
The bill has been placed on the House agenda for Thursday.
The committee also unanimously released House Substitute 1 for House Bill 330, which would change the age of a person who can legally buy or receive most firearms and ammunition from 18 to 21. Current state law requires a buyer be at least 21 years old for all handgun purchases, but 18 years old for rifles and shotguns).
Sponsored by House Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, D-Rehoboth Beach, the bill includes several exemptions.
According to the Giffords Law Center, two other states, Hawaii and Illinois, require a person to be 21 to purchase a long gun. The others, including Delaware, follow the federal requirement of 18 years of age.
The law to raise the age to 21 has drawn fire from Republican legislators and sportsmen’s groups.
