Del. House Passes Large-Capacity Magazine Ban Legislation

The Delaware House of Representatives has passed a bill that would ban the sale of large-capacity magazines capable of holding more than 17 rounds.

The vote in the House Thursday on SB 6(s) was 23 in favor, 18 against. The measure goes to the State Senate for consideration.

Under the bill, penalties would be enhanced if illegal magazines are used in the commission of a crime. A buyback program would also be created to purchase large-capacity magazines that are currently in circulation.

“There is no logical reason for the average person to be able to fire 20, 30 or 100 bullets without the need to reload. Limiting the number of rounds a person can fire at once is another piece of the puzzle to reduce gun violence without impacting a person’s right to own or use a firearm,” House Majority Whip Larry Mitchell, D-Elsmere said. “As a retired police officer, I’ve seen firsthand how gun violence can tear apart families and the dangerous implications of large-capacity magazines. What we’re doing today is taking a meaningful step toward addressing the ongoing and tragic issue of gun violence, and I’m looking forward to seeing this bill signed into law.”

“This bill has endured quite the odyssey on its way to passage and I want to thank my colleagues in the House for working to reach a consensus,” State Senate President Pro Tempore David Sokola, D-Newark said about the bill of which he is lead sponsor. “Limiting the sale of these large-capacity magazines in Delaware will likewise help to save lives in police standoffs and mass shootings in our neighborhoods. It may have taken a few more votes than any of us expected but outlawing these dangerous devices was worth the effort.”