DOVER, Del.- It was a crowded room in Legislative Hall and outside of it, some Delawareans were passionate about guns for varying reasons.
Laci Richards' husband Arrick was killed over a game of pool at Costal Taproom earlier this year. She thinks stronger gun laws could help prevent violence.
"Guns are killing people," Richards said. "Twice as much as cigarettes and tobacco. Yes, I think you know giving children an extra couple of years to be able to understand what they're holding in their hand might work."
While the bills would not apply to the weapon that killed her husband, she thinks more needs to be done. So does Speaker Pete Schwartzkopf, referencing the recent mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas.
"He waited until he turned 18 and bought not one but two AR-15s and 375 rounds of ammunition," Schwartzkopf said. "He wouldn't have been able to do that if this law were in place. People say we are taking away your rights, I disagree with you."
But House Minority Leader Representative Danny Short says these bills are only going to divide us and that school safety needs to be a priority.
"This whole thing tears me up," Short said. "I think we ought to talk about something that can make a difference. This will divide people. This issue's gonna make this room just go to the corners. It may not make a difference. Let's spend $100 million to secure our schools."
Bill Rounds of Delmar has taught hunter safety for 25 years and says raising the age limit won't make a difference.
"I have taught 9 year olds who are quite capable of doing the owning guns and being responsible," Rounds said. "I have taught 35 year olds that I wouldn't want near any gun. I don't want them within ten feet of any gun there is. So it's not an age thing we are talking about. We are talking about maturity."
Both the assault weapons ban and the age limit raise got out of committee and now are up for a vote in the general assembly where democrats have the votes to pass it. But Representative Short believes lawsuits filed after will delay any implementation.
Senator Dave Lawson has introduced Senate Bill 314 which is asking for $65 million to go towards school safety projects for public and charter schools.
Funds from Senate Bill 314 would be used for installing key card entrance, bullet resistant glass, video cameras, and other security improvements.
That money would be transferred from the general fund to fiscal year 2023. The bill has been assigned to the Senate Ex0ecutive Committee.