20 states offer opposition to Delaware gun control law

(AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

The state of Delaware has a new gun control law. They’ve basically gone back on their word that they allowed those with so-called assault weapons to keep them while prohibiting new sales of these firearms.

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Last year, Delaware went back on their word, and a number of states are taking issue with the new law.

Twenty states joined a court challenge to Delaware laws banning “assault weapons” and standard-capacity magazines, the Washington Examiner reported.

The coalition of states filed an amicus brief in support of the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association’s lawsuit against the Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security, according to the Examiner.

The states’ challenge against Delaware’s gun control laws was led by Montana Attorney General Austin Knudsen and was joined by attorneys general from Arkansas, Alabama, Georgia, Idaho, Iowa, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Missouri, Mississippi, Nebraska, North Dakota, New Hampshire, South Dakota, South Carolina, Utah, Virginia, Wyoming, and West Virginia.

A package of six gun safety laws was signed into law June 30, 2022 in Delaware.

The package included legislation that:

  • Bans the sale of assault weapons.
  • Raises the age to purchase most firearms from 18 to 21.
  • Strengthens background checks by reinstituting the Firearm Transaction Approval Program.
  • Limits high-capacity magazines.
  • Holds gun manufacturers and dealers liable for reckless or negligent actions that lead to gun violence.
  • Bans the use of devices that convert handguns into fully automatic weapons.
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These, of course, are problematic. Oh, the banning of full-auto switches isn’t a huge thing–it should be, but since this just mirrors federal law, thus allowing the state to prosecute if the feds won’t, it’s not–but most of the rest actually is.

And it’s not consistent with the Second Amendment, even if a federal judge ruled differently in March. That’s not going to hold up long-term and we all know it.

These attorney generals are standing up for what matters because this gun control law pretty much stomps on everything laid out in the Bruen decision, so my hope is that the Supreme Court gets this case soon, then issues a decision that is basically just a reference to Bruen and a “did we stutter?”

Our right to keep and bear arms will always be under attack by gun control zealots, but we cannot afford to give a single inch. It’ll never be enough.

Remember that Delaware had an assault weapon ban with a grandfather clause for years. Then they decided they needed to change the rules simply because they could. They’ll keep doing this because their word is meaningless. They believe they’re righteous in their gun control ambitions, so they see no problem with ignoring previous agreements.

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If this stands in Delaware, it can happen anywhere and, if we’re not careful, everywhere.

My hope, though, is that the federal court decision that upheld this disaster of a law is overturned sooner or later and that the Second Amendment is ultimately upheld by SCOTUS.

Gun control doesn’t work. It’s never worked and never will work. It deserves to be struck down and these states are doing their part to make that happen.

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