Legislation that would ban untraceable homemade firearms advanced out of a House committee Tuesday despite public opposition. The legislation would outlaw “ghost guns,” firearms that lack serial numbers or other identifying markings, making them untraceable by law enforcement and often undetectable by metal detectors. Under the bill, it would be illegal to possess, manufacture, transport or sell an untraceable firearm, frame or receiver, as well as instructions for making a ghost gun using a 3-D printer. It would also be against the law to own or transfer any firearm or receiver with the knowledge that the manufacturer’s serial number has been removed or altered.
- I think that the greatest contention was that home gun builders would need to destroy or turn in their property without compensation or recourse. Rep. Longhurst incorrectly contended that if they had no serial number, they were illegal already, so no provision should be made to allow them to be legalized or any compensation made because you cannot buy illegal goods. Nothing in this bill will do anything about crime. It will impact home gun builders and will simply add one more charge for the Justice Department to plea down before trial. Delaware has a bad track record of holding criminals accountable for gun charges. We need to at least make allowances for home gun builders who are law-abiding hobbyists. — DragonMantis
- The problem with Democratic and some Republican-in-name-only lawmakers is that they continue to fail to address the real issue of gun violence. There are laws on the books right now that they fail to enforce. They undermine law enforcement officers by their catch-and-release program supported by a worthless AG and governor, who support the criminal element more than the victims of gun violence. The death penalty needs to be brought back because criminals do not obey gun laws. But the lawmakers want to handcuff law-abiding citizens’ right to defend themselves, their families, their neighbors and innocent strangers. Lawmakers took an oath to uphold and defend the constitutions of Delaware and the United States of America, and from the looks of it, they have even failed to do that. In doing so, they should be removed from office and replaced by those who will. — Rusty Baker
