I ask that you do not vote to approve Senate Bill SB68.
This bill is unconstitutional and is not needed. SB68 will only punish law-abiding citizens and not the criminals. Keep in mind that criminals do not obey or follow laws. That is why they are criminals. The information that follows backs up this statement.
The turnout was over 10-1 against the anti-gun bills when SB68, SB69, and SB70 were introduced. Listen to the voice of the people.
Moms Demand Action has a reputation of distorted facts and busing in out-of-state people for a demonstration. Very few of their people are from Delaware.
Both the Delaware Constitution (Article 1, Section 20) and the United States Constitution (Bill of Rights, Second Amendment) detail the right to keep and bear arms for lawful purposes. In fact, the Delaware Article 1, Section 20, was added in 1987 at a time when everyone knew of AR-15 rifles and large-capacity magazines.
The U.S. Supreme Court in District of Columbia vs Heller found that the Second Amendment does not protect guns that are not typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes), such as short-barreled shotguns.
AR1-style semi-automatic rifles are possessed by a large number of the population and have become the preferred rifle to own. The AR-15 style rifles are protected by the Second Amendment because this class of rifle is typically possessed by law-abiding citizens for lawful purposes (hunting, target shooting, competition, and home defense). Current data from the Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation shows that very few rifles, of any type, are used in crimes and homicides.
According to FBI figures, homicides from “rifles/shotguns and other guns” (of which “assualt rifles” were a small subset) was 1,500 in 1995 and and 800 in 2015. In fact, during 1995 to 2004 when the Assault Rifle Ban was in effect, the average percent of rifle and “assault rifles” used in homicides was 3.29 percent and during 2004 to 2014 after the Assault Rifle Ban lapsed was 2.63%. At the same time the number of AR-15 rifles sold rose from 2,000 in 2000 to 5,500,000 in 2014. Even though the number of AR-15 rifles sold increased substantially from 1995 to 2014, the number of homicides committed with AR-15 rifles steadily decreased.
The use of rifles in homicides in Delaware is even much more less. FBI figures for homicides in Delaware when a rifle, shotgun or larger firearm was used are:
2016 = 0
2015 = 0
2014 = 0.
2016 FBI data for Delaware also shows that 56 murders were committed in Delaware and no rifles were used in those 56 murders. This shows that rifles (of all types) are not used in homicides in Delaware.
FBI data also shows that most firearms obtained by criminals (43 percent) were obtained off the street or on the black market. The remainder were stolen (6 percent), found at the scene (7 percent) and the rest came from a gift or family.
All of the above information shows that AR-15-style rifles are not a problem in Delaware or in the United States.
SB68 references six incidents of mass murder. Five of these incidents are “gun-free zones,” places where firearms are not allowed to be possessed. In fact, the Aurora shooter drove past several “gun allowed theaters” until he found a gun-free theater. “Gun-free zones” tell shooters it is safe to shoot there as no one will have a firearm to shoot back. History has shown that a shooter stops shooting when confronted with an armed defender. The Las Vegas shooter had obvious mental problems and should not have been allowed to have firearms. All of the persons who committed these crimes had mental problems. System and procedural failures allowed these people to obtain the firearms they used in these crimes.
In summary, SB68 will have no effect on a mass shooter to commit the crime. It will only prevent law-abiding Delaware citizens from having the rifle they need for recreation and self-defense.
Mark and Kate Beam
Milton
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