Second Amendment Action Alert Network
DELAWARE LEGISLATIVE UPDATE
March 25, 2013
Last week was an extremely busy week in the Delaware General Assembly. Several new bills were introduced, and of course the second hearing on HB 35 took place on Wednesday. Let’s begin there:
House Bill No. 35 – Ban on Private Sales – Backdoor Registration Unfair & Discriminatory Mandatory Fees
Thank you, one and all, for the many visits to legislative Hall, for your very well presented testimony before the House judiciary Committee and for all of the emails and phone calls.
Because of your participation it appears that we may have gained some ground in our fight against HB 35. Although the Committee voted to release HB 35 and send it to the floor, it looks like your testimony will result in a number of pro-gun amendments being added to this bad piece of legislation making it at least a little bit better.
HB 35 is on the House Agenda for:
Thursday, March 28, 2013 at 2 pm.
ACTION ITEM #1 Call your legislator today and ask them to vote NO on HB 35!!!
Contact information for your legislators may be found here: Legislator Listing
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NEW ANTI-GUN BILLS INTRODUCED
Preemption Repeal – HB 62 & SB 23
Rep. Bolden’s HB 62 would allow the City of Wilmington to pass it’s own anti-gun laws while Senator Marshall’s SB 23 goes even further by allowing every one of Delaware’s towns and cities to pass their own patchwork of anti-gun laws.
HB 62 is scheduled for hearing in the House Administration Committee on Wednesday March 27th @ 2:30 pm. A copy of the bill may be found here: House Bill No. 62
House Administration Members are:
- Rep. Valerie Longhurst – Chair (D-15) (302) 577-8476
- Rep. Pete Schwartzkopf – Vice Chair (D-14) (302) 744-4351
- Rep. John Viola (D-26) (302) 577-8453
- Rep. Danny Short (R-39) (302) 744-4171
- Rep. Debbie Hudson (R-12) (302) 744-4171
SB 23 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee and may also be heard on Wednesday. A copy of this bill may be found here: Senate Bill No. 23
Senate Judiciary Committee Members:
- Sen. Margaret Rose Henry – Chair (D-2) (302) 577-8719
- Sen. Patricia M. Blevins (D-7) (302) 577-8542
- Sen. Harris B. McDowell, III (D-1) (302) 577-8744
- Sen. Bryan Townsend (D-11) (302) 577-5316
- Sen. F. Gary Simpson (R-18) (302) 744-4134
- Sen. Gregory F. Lavelle (R-4) (302) 577-8714
ACTION ITEM #2
Call the members of these two committees and tell them that ONLY the Delaware General Assembly should have the power to pass gun laws. If each city and town had their own gun laws and regulations, it would be impossible to legally travel through the state.
THAT IS WHY WE HAD PREEMPTION PASSED IN THE FIRST PLACE.
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LOST & STOLEN GUNS
SB 16, SPONSORED BY Sen. Henry would criminalize victimization and would do nothing to address the issue of straw purchases. A copy of this bill may be found here. Senate Bill No. 16
SB 16 has been assigned to the Senate Judiciary Committee which will meet on Wednesday March 27th @ 1 pm.
On a more positive note, Senate Bill No. 18 sponsored by Sen. Pettyjohn (R), is also scheduled for a hearing the Senate Judiciary Committee, on Wednesday, March 27th. This bill does what SB 16 does not, punish the criminal, not make criminals out of victims.
ACTION ITEM # 3
Call the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee and tell them that this bill is insulting to law-abiding gun owners, will do nothing to stop straw purchases and is bad public policy.
Tell them this bill should never leave the committee and should never reach the floor of the Senate.
Senate Judiciary Committee Members:
- Sen. Margaret Rose Henry – Chair (D-2) (302) 577-8719
- Sen. Patricia M. Blevins (D-7) (302) 577-8542
- Sen. Harris B. McDowell, III (D-1) (302) 577-8744
- Sen. Bryan Townsend (D-11) (302) 577-5316
- Sen. F. Gary Simpson (R-18) (302) 744-4134
- Sen. Gregory F. Lavelle (R-4) (302) 577-8714
- Call your Representative and your Senator and ask that all committee hearings on all of the Governor’s anti-gun bills be scheduled for evening hearings so that working Delawareans can have their voices heard.
- Call every member of the Judiciary Committee and tell them:
- That you want to attend,
- You want to testify, and
- You want the hearings on HB No. 62 and SB Nos. 23 & 16 moved to 7:00 PM so that you can attend.
ARMED CITIZEN
- March 21, 2013 – Couple battles violent home invaders, KENS, San Antonio, Texas.
A homeowner in Maypearl, Texas was at home watching TV when she heard a suspicious noise at the door. When she got up to investigate, the woman spotted one of a pair of armed criminals trying to get into her home. The homeowner then went find her husband and retrieve a gun. The husband was on another part of the property, but once he heard of the intrusion he went inside the house and retrieved a rifle. A gun battle ensued, with the husband and wife firing at the criminals and the criminals returning fire. The homeowners managed to strike one of the home invaders in the foot, while the other fled in a pickup truck to a nearby field. After succumbing to the armed resistance, both criminals took their own lives. Following the incident, Lt. James Saulter of the Ellis County Sheriff’s Department told local media, “Our sheriff is always letting homeowners know to arm themselves. This is one of the reasons why… Sometimes it takes a while for us to get out this far, and they have to take care of themselves.”