This was mainly in reply to HB35, which I know Markell already signed into law. Rebecca Long, 9th district.
Thank you for contacting me about your concerns regarding gun control legislation. There are several proposed bills that have yet to come before the full Delaware House of Representatives for a vote; legislation is proposed to limit magazine capacity, eliminate the right to possess a military-style weapon, limit rights to carry firearms near schools and require special reporting. I am a person who has raised her kids to respect weapons and have always had weapons in my home; my husband is a police officer, my daughter has participated in marksmanship events and my sons have hunted on our property. I have not supported and will not support these proposed bills.
House Bill 35 was the bill regarding background checks, and 11 amendments to this bill were introduced. I worked on four of these amendments with the NRA and other constituents. The fee was reduced, the information will be protected, the definition of family was expanded, and the term of borrow/transfer was extended to 14 days to allow organizations time to participate in longer events and use weapons efficiently. I worked hard to address the concerns raised.
I also want you to know that this background check protects us in that if the check is performed, I as the seller cannot be held civically liable for anything illegal that person does with that weapon after I sell my weapon. This bill actually expands my protection as a seller. I discussed these amendments with local gun owners, hunters, gun enthusiasts, and organizational members of other groups like Ducks Unlimited and local hunting groups. After these discussions, and the assurance that these concerns would be addressed and corrected, I was told by all these groups that voting for HB 35 would be okay; I promised that I would not vote for the bill if these amendments did not pass. The above mentioned amendments all passed, added protections for law-abiding citizens were ensured and I voted.
I informed as many of those who called or emailed me that I was considering voting for House Bill 35, and I kept my word to address multiple concerns. I will not vote for any other proposed gun bills; I assure you of that. Please contact me anytime; I really do try hard to compromise and meet the needs of all my constituents as best as possible.
Respectfully,
Rep. Rebecca Walker
9th District