SPONSOR:	Rep. Outten & Sen. Hocker;
	Reps. D. Short, Hudson, Blakey, Briggs King, Dukes, Gray, Kenton, Smyk, Spiegelman, Wilson, Atkins, Carson

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

147th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 77

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 7 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO A CERTAIN USE OF A HANDGUN.

Section 1.Amend §704(g), Title 7 of the Delaware Code by making insertions as shown by underlining as follows:

(g) Except as set forth herein, no person may use a handgun in the pursuit, taking or attempted taking (hunting) of protected wildlife. A handgun as described herein may be used for the pursuit, taking and attempted taking (hunting) of deer on privately owned lands situated south of the Chesapeake and Delaware Canal and those lands within the State owned by the State of Delaware so designated for this purpose by the Department of Natural Resources and Environmental Control and farms permitted by the Department through its deer depredation programs, at its discretion, under the following conditions:

(1) The handgun shall be limited to revolvers and single shot pistols with a minimum barrel length of 5.75 inches and not exceeding 12.5 inches and chambered for and using straight-wall handgun ammunition in .357 magnum, .41 caliber, .41 magnum, .44 caliber, 44 magnum, .45 caliber, .454 caliber, .480 caliber or .50 caliber and using open sights, metallic/mechanical, optical or telescopic sights;

(2) The handgun must be carried openly on a sling or in a holster and not concealed;

(3) To be used:

a. During a separate 7-day season to begin on the first Saturday in January through the second Saturday in January; and

b. In place of a shotgun during the shotgun deer season.