An “assault weapons” ban failed to pass a Delaware Senate committee last week but Senate President Pro Tempore David McBride (D-13) says he will bring it to whole Senate for a vote anyway.
The ban failed to pass a five member committee last week after Sen. Greg Lavelle (R-4) voted against it, citing concerns that it violates Delaware’s constitution. The ban broadly targets semi-automatic rifles. That includes AR-15s and related guns, but also goes far beyond them.
Delaware Online reports that President Pro Tempore McBride has nevertheless listed the ban as the first order of business next Tuesday.
McBride said, “It’s plain to anyone paying attention that there is a great deal of public interest in this legislation. When an issue like this garners such an extraordinary level of interest and passion, every senator should also have the opportunity, if not the responsibility, to have their positions on the record.”
Sen. Lavelle reacted to McBride’s decision by suggesting Democrats are not actually seeking safety but a political victory. He said the ban is a “political issue, not a public safety issue.”
Sen. Colin Bonini (R-16) pointed out that the ban was defeated in committee, yet McBride is taking it to the full Senate as if it passed. Bonini said, “It did not receive the votes to get out of committee. If any issue gets enough press coverage, are we simply going to waive the responsibilities of the committee process?”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News, the host of the Breitbart podcast Bullets with AWR Hawkins, and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio. Follow him on Twitter: @AWRHawkins. Reach him directly at awrhawkins@breitbart.com. Sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange.