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Legislation banning bump stocks goes back to Delaware House for reconciliation

Delaware Public Media

The General Assembly is sending one piece of gun control legislation to Gov. John Carney.

But lawmakers are continuing to debate a ban on bump stocks.

Devices like bump stocks and trigger cranks make semi automatic rifles fire bullets faster. The legislation prohibits buying and selling the devices and requires owners to turn them into law enforcement within four months or face charges.

Sen. Anthony Delcollo  (R-Marshallton) sponsored an amendment to financially compensate bump stock owners for the value of the devices, but it fell short of the needed votes. Delcollo warns the state could be sued for taking the property without compensation.

“If it’s a person whose individual rights are being violated, you can get attorneys fees paid," he said. "So even if it’s not a huge value, you can get your attorneys fees paid and get compensation for a violation of your civil liberties even if it’s just the principle of the thing because constitutional rights are so important.”

But State Sen. Bryan Townsend (D-Newark) said he’s not worried.

“If you have Republican senators and many of them standing up saying these devices have no place in our society, which is essentially what they said," he said. "If you have them saying that, then clearly in the broader public, you have an understanding of what it could be used for and essentially only could be used for.”

The bill is headed back to House for its approval after state Senators changed a first offense from a felony to a misdemeanor.

But that drew opposition from House Democrats, including House Majority Leader Valerie Longhurst (D-Bear), the bill’s sponsor, who says lawmakers need to do what’s best for public safety, not what is politically expedient.

Both chambers passed a measure Thursday stiffening penalties for straw gun purchases. That’s when someone ineligible to own a gun has someone else purchase it for them.  That heads to Gov. Carney for his signature.

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