DOVER, Del. - The Delaware General Assembly's 2024 legislative session ended on Sunday, June 30 with four bills headed to Governor John Carney's desk.
Today, the Delaware chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action applauded both of the Delaware chambers for passing several gun safety measures before their term came to a close.
"There's a reason our movement is called gun violence prevention," said Sydney McLean, a volunteer with Hodgson Vocational Technical High School Students Demand Action chapter. "It's about taking action before tragedy strikes and that's exactly what the passage of these bills signifies."
The bills now headed to Gov. Carney to be signed into law include:
HB 155, which requires the secure storage of firearms in unattended cars, mandating that they be stored in a locked container, rack, or trunk.
HB 270, which requires licensed gun dealers to keep ammunition inventory inaccessible to customers without the assistance of an employee; this bill would also require dealers to have theft and loss prevention plans in place as a condition for licensing and to report any ammunition thefts.
HB 311, which prohibits the possession of firearms on college campuses, with some exceptions for certain authorized individuals.
HB 342, which establishes a voluntary waiver program allowing individuals to temporarily waive their own ability to purchase, possess, or otherwise obtain firearms. Anyone who has concerns about their mental health can enroll in this program, which also includes procedures for voluntary removal later.
In an average year in the first state, 123 people die by guns and 305 people are wounded. Gun violence costs Delaware $1.4 billion each year, of which $44.4 million is paid by taxpayers.