Parents can be prosecuted in Delaware now for not safely storing guns

By Whitney Tipton

Delaware parents now face prison for storing their guns where minors can access them, according to a new law signed by Delaware Democratic Gov. John Carney Thursday.

The new law expands on the current Delaware code that makes it illegal to provide minors access to guns, adding charges if gun owners intentionally or recklessly leave loaded firearms within reach of children or adults prohibited from owning guns, WHYY reported.

“This is an important piece of legislation to sign to add to the package last year, the red-flag legislation that was really important to keep firearms away from people with serious mental health issues or showing potentially violent behavior,” said Carney.

Lawmakers amended the final bill to shift the burden of proof from the gun owner to the state, forcing prosecutors to prove someone failed to store their gun properly to get a conviction.

The new law makes unsafe storage a misdemeanor, and a gun owner could face a high-misdemeanor if the unsafely stored firearm is used in the commission of a crime, according to Delaware Online.

Democratic state Rep. Sean Lynn, one of the bill’s sponsors, said he didn’t agree with an amendment that tries to “prove a negative,” but knew it was needed to pass the legislation.

The bill, which was introduced along with several other gun control measures, has been the only measure to get assembly approval and the governor’s signature. The other bills included a ban on assault weapons, gun magazine restrictions and a permit training requirement.

“We do have tragic loss, but also gun-ownership rights, and I think we did a good job with balancing those issues because it does start with safe-gun ownership,” said Secretary of Delaware Department of Safety and Homeland Security Robert Coupe, referring to the recent Virginia Beach shooting tragedy.

“The folks who are going to own a weapon have to do it responsibly,” he added.

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5 thoughts on “Parents can be prosecuted in Delaware now for not safely storing guns

  1. The stated concern is kids getting a gun. An intelligent law would be to require parenting classes for people with kids who have guns. — they might even raise normal kids in the end.

  2. A locked firearm is a useless firearm, this is just more WAR on the law abiding while they
    let the criminals walk…Leftardism is the biggest threat to Freedom and America loving
    citizenry.
    ” and I think we did a good job with balancing those ”

    NO you didn’t you ignoramus, you did a leftarded feelz good regulation on a Constitutional Right…
    You should be hung by the neck until dead along with all that vote in these DO NOTHING Gun Grabbing
    Laws>

  3. Sounds like the fools we have running this State. Good luck trying to enforce it Delaware. Where is the logic in that one?

    • If a person uses a stolen gun to murder, they are arrested, presumed innocent, and given a couple of years to prepare an Insanity defense, never charged, have no record, given freedom by a mental health system which says they have no interest in courts or justice.
      See the 3 let go with no charges and no record in Burlington this week. Insanity defense.

      But the Joe gun owner is presumed guilty because he didn’t register, didn’t lock up his own defensive weapon. Didn’t buy the politically correct accessories for his guns.

      Murderers go free, and 200,000,000 gun owners are charged with careleseness, subject to gun confiscation – by breaking down their doors if necessary

  4. I’m old an grew up in a different time, I’ve been around firearms my entire life, raised two
    kids now adults and never had a firearm locked up my entire life and they never hurt a sole.

    My kids were taught guns were a tool ” Not A Toy ” and if they ever touched any firearm
    without an adult present, well they’d get a ” Boot In The A “., something you can’t do today
    as you might scare their fragile minds !!

    And they wonder why suicide is up, the government telling you how to run your house and
    raise your kids…………….

    Do you lock your doors to keep the crazies out or to keep crazies in, ask your Politician

    So you have a firearm in your house for home protection

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