22 total bills, 12 anti-gun bills,
2 pro-gun bills for this session
Proposed Delaware Firearm Legislation
22 total bills, 12 anti-gun bills,
2 pro-gun bills for this session
2013-2014 Session2015-2016 Session2017-2018 Session2019-2020 Session2021-2022 Session2023-2024 Session
Filter: Click on bill number for details. jump to upper chamber
note: Delaware carries over legislation from odd-numbered years to even numbered years without exception
Title: Extending The Reporting Date Of The Firearm Definition Task Force.
Description: This Concurrent Resolution extends the due date of the findings and recommendations report of the Firearm Definition Task Force from January 5, 2024, to March 8, 2024.
Last Action: Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
Last Action Date: January 25, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Offenses Involving Deadly Weapons And Dangerous Instruments.
Description: This bill makes the unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle a class A misdemeanor if the person knowingly leaves a firearm unattended in a vehicle and the firearm is not stored in a locked box or container, a firearms rack that is on the motor vehicle, or locked in the trunk. This bill also provides that compliance with unsafe storage of a firearm in a vehicle is a defense to carrying a concealed deadly weapon.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: August 15, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Possession Of A Firearm In A Safe School And Recreation Zone.
Description: As of April 4, 2023, 74 people have been killed or injured by guns in schools this year in 13 separate school shootings. School shootings hit a record high in 2022 with 46 shootings, surpassing 2021s record of 42 shootings. In 2022, 43,450 children experienced a school shooting. The purpose of this bill is to enable a police officer to act immediately when the officer sees or suspects that a person possesses a firearm in a Safe School and Recreation Zone.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: August 18, 2023
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Possession Of A Firearm At A Polling Place.
Description: This Act limits those individuals who may possess a firearm at a polling place on an Election Day to the following: (1) law enforcement officers, (2) commissioned security guards acting in their official capacity, (3) constables acting in their official capacity, and (4) active-duty members of the United States Armed Forces and Delaware National Guard acting in their official capacity. This Act is applicable to any in-person election held under Title 15, any local school election held under Title 14, and any municipal election held in accordance with the municipality's charter, ordinance, or code, and includes locations designated for early voting. This Act also provides an exemption for individuals who reside or visit private property adjacent to a polling place, or who are traveling from private property to another location.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: August 18, 2023
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Definitions For The Delaware Criminal Code.
Description: This Act is a substitute for House Bill No. 224. Like House Bill No. 224, this Act narrows the meaning of firearm for purposes of the Delaware Criminal Code by more closely aligning the definition of firearm with the definition in the federal criminal background check law. The reference to a BB gun is no longer necessary because a BB gun does not use an explosive force to propel a projectile.
Last Action: Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
Last Action Date: June 22, 2023
Title: An Act To Amend Titles 11 And 24 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Ammunition.
Description: This Act creates a civil penalty for any sale or display of ammunition that allows the ammunition to be accessible to a purchaser or transferee without the assistance of the vendor or an employee of the vendor. Ammunition in an enclosed display case, behind a counter or other customer access preventing device is not considered accessible for purposes of this section.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: August 15, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Safe School And Recreation Zones.
Description: This Act is a follow-up to House Bill No. 201, as amended by House Amendment No. 3 and Senate Amendment No. 3, which was passed in 2023. That bill originally repealed the offense of Possession of a weapon in a Safe School and Recreation Zone, which was not actually a separate crime but rather operated as an aggravator and sentence enhancement on certain underlying crimes, and replaced it with Possession of a firearm in a Safe School and Recreation Zone which is a separate and self-contained criminal offense. Subsequently Senate Amendment No. 3 was passed and attached to the bill. That amendment separated the school zone from the recreation zone offenses and was intended to reinstate the original sentence enhancement scheme for offenses in a Safe Recreation Zone.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: March 7, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To A Safe School Zone.
Description: In many states acts of violence have been committed with the use of firearms on college and university campuses that have resulted in both injury and death to students and faculty. This Act adds post-secondary colleges and universities to the Safe School Zone criminal offense so that any person who knowingly possesses a firearm, as defined in Title 11, while in or on a college or university facility or campus may be charged with this additional offense. The same exceptions set forth in the statute will apply to a college or university.This Act also adds commissioned security guards to the categories of individuals who may possess a firearm while acting in their official capacity within a Safe School Zone. A person convicted under this section will be guilty of a Class E felony. This Act also makes a technical correction to conform existing law to the standards of the Delaware Legislative Drafting Manual.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: August 15, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Titles 11 And 24 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Voluntary Firearms Do-not-sell Registry Act.
Description: This Act creates a Voluntary Firearms Do-Not-Sell Registry in which an applicant may voluntarily enroll for the purpose of being prohibited from obtaining a firearm. An individual on the Registry may request removal from the Registry no sooner than 30 days after the individual is entered on the registry. Once an individual requests removal from the Registry, the individual must be removed from the Registry no sooner than 30 days after the removal request. A person who transfers a firearm to an individual in violation of this section is guilty of a class A misdemeanor for a first offense and a class G felony for a subsequent offense. An individual who makes a false statement or representation regarding their identity when requesting inclusion or removal from the Registry shall be guilty of a class A misdemeanor.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: August 15, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 6, Title 10, Title 11, And Title 24 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Weapons.
Description: This Act is the product of the work of the Firearms Definition Task Force (Task Force), which was created by this General Assembly under Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 102.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: November 1, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Civil Procedures To Relinquish Firearms Or Ammunition.
Description: This Act makes technical changes for clarity by adding a definition of mental condition to the Code section that deals with relinquishment of firearms for persons who may be a danger to self or others (also known as a red flag law). It also extends the time periods for the Department of Justice to petition for a permanent order from 30 days to 60 days and allows the Superior Court to grant an extension of time to file for an additional 30 days. Under the existing law, the Superior Court may only grant a 15-day extension. The time within which a hearing is required to be held is extended from 15 days after the DOJs filing of a petition to 30 days. An ex parte emergency order issued by the JP Court will continue in effect during these time periods.
Last Action: Not Worked in Committee
Last Action Date: June 18, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 4, Title 5, Title 6, Title 7, Title 9, Title 10, Title 11, Title 14, Title 16, Title 18, Title 19, Title 21, Title 24, Title 26, Title 29, And Title 30 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Technical Corrections.
Description: Throughout 2023, the Code Revisors provided the General Assembly with potential technical corrections that the Code Revisors identified as the Code Revisors revised the Delaware Code to reflect legislation that was enacted by the 152nd General Assembly in 2023 or as the Code Revisors reviewed titles of the Code. While technical in nature, these changes are beyond the authority of the Code Revisors to make and can only be done by the General Assembly through legislation. This Act also includes technical corrections identified outside of those provided by the Code Revisors.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: November 1, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11, Title 24, And Title 29 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Deadly Weapons.
Description: This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 2. Like Senate Bill No. 2 this Act does all of the following:
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: May 16, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11, Title 13, And Title 29 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Criminal Justice System, Including Probation.
Description: This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 4, replacing Senate Substitute No. 1 for Senate Bill No. 4. and Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4. Like Senate Bill No. 4, Senate Substitute No. 1, and Senate Substitute No. 2 for Senate Bill No. 4, this Act modernizes Delawares probation system, including by directing the courts, the Board of Parole, and the Bureau of Community Corrections to use the least restrictive probation and parole conditions and the most minimally intrusive reporting requirements necessary to achieve the goals of community supervision.
Last Action: Amendment SA 1 to SS 3 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
Last Action Date: June 12, 2024
Title: Declaring Gun Violence A Public Health Crisis.
Description: This Senate Concurrent Resolution declares that gun violence is a public health crisis, that ending the gun violence devastating Delaware is a policy priority, and supporting policy and legislative solutions that will make schools safe, confront armed hate and extremism, prevent suicide, and center and support survivors of gun violence.
Last Action: Passed In House by Voice Vote
Last Action Date: March 14, 2023
Title: Recognizing The First Full Week In June As "delaware Gun Violence Prevention Week" In Delaware.
Description: This resolution proclaims the first full week of June as the "Delaware Gun Violence Prevention Week" in the State of Delaware, in which we remember and honor all survivors of gun violence and ask that all Delawareans consider ways that we as a community can reduce gun violence - including storing all firearms securely.
Last Action: Passed In House by Voice Vote
Last Action Date: June 6, 2023
Title: An Act To Amend Title 9, Title 10, Title 11, Title 22, And Title 24 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Carrying A Concealed Deadly Weapon.
Description: On June 23, 2022, in New York State Rifle and Pistol Association v. Bruen, 142 S. Ct. 2111 (2022), the United States Supreme Court completely and dramatically changed the manner in which state-level gun laws are to be evaluated for constitutional sufficiency. Although not directly addressed in a definitive fashion the way other states' concealed carry laws were, Delaware's concealed carry law was mentioned by the Court in a manner signaling that certain flaws in our law must be immediately addressed.
Last Action: Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
Last Action Date: April 19, 2023
Title: Establishing The Firearm Definition Task Force.
Description: This Resolution establishes the Firearm Definition Task Force (Task Force) to do all of the following:
Last Action: Passed In House by Voice Vote
Last Action Date: June 30, 2023
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Possession Of A Firearm In A Safe School Zone.
Description: This Act exempts an employee of a private school from the Safe School Zone law if the employee is designated by the employees private school employer to provide security for the school and the employee holds a Delaware concealed carry permit.
Last Action: Adopted in lieu of the original bill SB 224, and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
Last Action Date: May 21, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Semiautomatic Pistols.
Description: This Act is a substitute for Senate Bill No. 228. This Act achieves the intent of Senate Bill No. 228 by providing an exception to the general prohibition against semiautomatic pistols that have the ability to accept detachable ammunition magazines that attach at some location other than the pistol grip. This exception permits such a characteristic in the limited circumstance of using a rimfire pistol for competitive shooting or for practice shooting in preparation for competitive shooting. The characteristic is still prohibited outright for any centerfire pistols.
Last Action: Signed by Governor
Last Action Date: July 17, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 Of The Delaware Code Relating To Knives
Description: This Act removes prohibitions in Title 11 of the Delaware code regarding owning or possessing certain types of folding knives that may be opened with one hand. So-called "switch blade knives", which are more appropriately called automatic knives, allow for easy deployment often by depressing a button. Such cutting implements are lawfully used as tools by many working in the trades, and are also popular amongst outdoor, hunting, and camping enthusiasts. Currently, despite common and myriad lawful purposes, such knives are treated as deadly weapons in Delaware and therefore subject otherwise law-abiding Delawareans engaging in law-abiding activities to criminal prosecution in the justice system. Removing the prohibitions would permit individuals to lawfully use such tools but would still subject them to prosecution for deadly weapons related offenses where an individual uses such an automatic knife in the course of an attack or assault aimed at causing death or serious injury.
Last Action: Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
Last Action Date: June 11, 2024
Title: An Act To Amend Title 11 And Title 28 Of The Delaware Code Relating To The Unlawful Discharge Of Firearms.
Description: This bill amends Chapter 5, Title 11 of the Delaware Code related to the unlawful discharge of firearms within the State. The bill recognizes the potential danger of such discharges which occur during target shooting and other related firearm skill events when in proximity to neighboring residences and businesses, thereby increasing the risk of injury or death. The bill includes language to allow discharge of firearms under certain conditions, including the use of an artificial or natural barrier, allows for less required distance for archery equipment, and exempts lands designated as training areas by the Department of Natural Resources, the Delaware National Guard, the Department of Corrections, or other law enforcement agency which are primarily used for the training of firearms and firearm safety. This bill is consistent with safety zone language associated with legal hunting as stated in Title 7 of the Delaware Code ยง 723.
Last Action: Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
Last Action Date: June 25, 2024
