DELAWARE- Delaware’s new handgun permit law will remain in effect after a federal appeals court refused to temporarily block the regulation — a decision that prompted a response from the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, which posted a reaction on social media.
In a statement shared online, the association called the ruling “bad news with a silver lining,” saying the United States Court of Appeals denied its emergency request to stop Delaware’s Permit to Purchase law from being enforced.
The group said the Dec. 1 decision means the state’s new law continues, but claim the appeals court expedited the case instead of returning it to the lower court. According to the post, the court issued an expedited briefing schedule and will hear the full request before a three-judge panel.
“Translation: We’re still very much in the fight, and the court is taking our Second Amendment challenge seriously,” the association wrote.
The appeals court decision upholds an earlier ruling by U.S. District Court Judge Maryellen Noreika, who on Nov. 14 denied a request to pause enforcement of the new law. According to court documents, the legal fight began in early November when the plaintiffs argued the state was not prepared to issue the required permits and claimed the law amounted to a “de facto ban” on buying handguns.
Delaware’s Permit to Purchase law officially took effect Nov. 16. It requires people who live in Delaware to complete firearms training, submit fingerprints and pass a background check before purchasing a handgun. People with a Concealed Carry Deadly Weapon license issued by Delaware Superior Court are exempt.
Supporters of the law say it is intended to help reduce gun violence, while opponents argue it creates unnecessary obstacles for law-abiding buyers. The group said it plans to push the case “all the way up if we have to.”