Gun show loop hole is now closed in Delaware

One of the “must have’s” on Governor Jack Markell’s gun reform agenda is now law.  He signed legislation that will close the so-called gun show loop hole.

The law puts private gun sales, like the one’s from gun shows, in the same category as any gun dealer.  Now anyone purchasing a gun in Delaware would be subjected to a background check before the sale can become final.

Governor Markell signed the law before a packed room of legislative supporters and some of the parents from Sandy Hook, Ct. who spent several days lobbying legislators to pass those bills. One of those parent is Nichole Hockley, whose son Dylan was shot in his first grade class on December 19th.

“I’m grateful to the people of Delaware to make this state safer from gun violence,” she said.  She added that more needs to be done saying that a ban high capacity automatic should be the next item on the legislature’s agenda.

Markell noted that attempts have been made for over 20 years to close the loop hole.  Lt.Governor Matt Denn added, “I said in January that we weren’t going to bury our heads in the sand and pretend that we could address gun violence without talking about guns.  And now we have taken a giant step in the right direction.  

Markell praised the bipartisan support that went into supporting the bill.  Former Congressman Mike Castle had been part of the lobbying effort as had former state senator Liane Sorenson of Hockessin.  She described how parents, teachers and clergy had come. She said up until this year there had never been an effective voice in trying to pass gun reform.

Anyone breaking the law will be charged with a misdemeanor.  The next second arrest is a felony offense.