Governor Markell answers critics of proposed legislation to address gun violence currently before the General Assembly. The four bills seek to close the “gun show loophole” that allows purchase of guns from some vendors without a background check, prohibit possession of a gun while under the influence of drugs or alcohol, improve reporting requirements to prevent mentally ill individuals from acquiring weapons, and improve the porcess of disposing of seized firearms.
Governor’s Weekly Message
Governor Markell answers critics of proposed legislation to address gun violence currently before the General Assembly.
Full text of Governor Jack Markell’s weekly message:
We spend so much of our time focusing on getting people to work and making sure our kids have the strongest possible public schools – on improving our economy right now and ensuring its prosperity in the future.
Both of those efforts benefit when we’re all focused together on improving public safety, particularly when it comes to fighting back against the terrible tragedy of gun violence.
I joined legislators and law enforcement to introduce some common-sense suggestions to do just that –but the same day our proposals were introduced, certain groups started making calls to fight them.
Calls and claims that distorted their scope and purpose.
Orchestrated efforts to try and stop these bills cold before they had a chance to reduce reckless gun violence.
Messages that made clear that nobody in Delaware should even try to pass laws on this issue.
Well, we are still moving forward.
Because there is a place for some common sense in the debate over gun violence – no matter how angry the opposition.
Let me be clear – This is about helping to protect the brave men and women in law enforcement, who put their lives on the line to protect and serve us each day.
It’s about keeping weapons out of the hands of dangerous criminals, the mentally ill and people in no state of mind to make a rational decision about the gun in their hand.
And it’s about protecting families and protecting the rights of responsible gun owners.
Specifically, we are proposing four bills – one that will close the “gun-show loophole” that allows criminals to buy guns from certain vendors at gun shows without having to undergo a background check.
Another bill that would prohibit the possession of a firearm by individuals under the influence of drugs or alcohol. You can’t drive a car under the influence, why is it safe to have a gun in your hand?
A third would improve reporting requirements to prevent mentally ill individuals from acquiring deadly weapons.
The fourth bill would give law enforcement a responsible method to dispose of seized firearms.
Those are our proposals. They are common sense in approach.
They protect the rights of responsible gun owners and better protect public safety.
And no matter how hard the pushback, on this and other issues, we’re going to keep working together to keep Delaware, moving forward.
