Delaware Gun Bill Gets Heated Response

[H.E. Pennypacker]

http://www.myfoxphilly.com/dpp/news/...eated-response

Delaware Gov. Jack Markell is firing back about a proposed bill to let all residents of the state's public housing developments to carry guns.

A major second amendment battle is brewing over the issue.

Markell says he is trying to keep in place what he believes are common sense gun control laws.

The dispute targets a simple, but confounding question: Are handguns part of the problem of violence or are they part of the solution?

Handgun posession is against the law for residents of Delaware's public housing properties. And the handful of WHA residents we talked to in Wilmington, believe that's probably for the best.

But House Bill 357 would ban public bodies like the WHA from exercising the authority to regulate firearms.

In short, it would allow residents to carry guns.

"This is not an NRA initiative. This is something the people have asked for," said John Sigler, a former Dover police captain and current board member of the National Rifle Association.

"The Delaware constitution makes it clear that a person has a right to keep and bear arms for the protection of themselves, their families and their homes," Sigler said.

Markell has written to the bill's sponsors, asking that they back off. Markell's legal staff believes the bill would strike down bans that prohibit guns on school busses, classroom buildings and public transportation.

"It's potentially introducing guns to places where others have already decided they shouldn't be. And I think a school has the right to say, 'we're not going to have a gun in our school,” Markell said.

It's still very early in the process. This bill could be tweaked to narrow the list of places where gun bans would be lifted.

Markell clearly and publically opposes legislation that would broadly lift gun bans. But he would not comment on a bill that would only allow gun possession only on public housing properties.

House Bill 357...good number!

[Tek2974]

"It's potentially introducing guns to places where others have already decided they shouldn't be. And I think a school has the right to say, 'we're not going to have a gun in our school,” Markell said.

Tell the asshat drug dealers in the hallways that. Oh hey we don't want drugs here. School drug free zone buddy, didn't you read the sign? CRIMINALS DON'T FOLLOW THE LAW!

idiots.......

[PocketProtector]

Common sense gun laws according to him....the only common sense gun law I ever saw was the 2A.

[customloaded]

Well, public housing is private property and as such, if you sign a lease and in the lease it says NO Firearms, well, I guess your freeloading ass is outta luck!

[Wiley-X]

What I always think is amusing is that they make a big fuss about school kids carrying guns if the laws were changed. How many 5th graders have a carry permit?