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By Jennifer Springer
DOVER, Delaware: Delaware Governor Jack Markell signed a gun control measure on June 12 that would require reporting of a lost and stolen firearm within seven days of the owner discovering a weapon is missing.[1] The measure is aimed at eliminating “straw purchases” which involves individuals buying guns to be illegally given to those who cannot obtain one.[2]
"Law enforcement tell us that straw purchasers have two main excuses when a gun they purchases ends up at a crime scene," Markell said. "Those two excuses are: I lost that weapon, or that weapon was stolen. We needed to eliminate these excuses."[3]
Individuals who fail to report lost firearms will be subject to fines on the first two offenses, and every offense after that will be a class G felony.[2]
This makes Delaware the eighth state in the nation to require citizens to report gun thefts.[2]
The measure was one of five gun control bills his administration rolled out in January. All of them have faced stiff opposition.[3] To date, only one other has gotten his signature, which significantly expanded background checks in Delaware in private gun sales.[3]
Other measures would prohibit those with mental health issues from obtaining a firearm, would make it illegal to bring firearms within 1000 feet of schools and would restrict high capacity magazines and ban assault rifles.[1]
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