Delaware stands as a national leader in gun violence prevention policy, having made major public policy advances over the past decade. Delaware has moved constructively beyond the usual simple platitudes to enact common sense gun laws and regulations that co-exist with the right to own and operate a firearm in a safe manner.

Much common sense work remains. We must continue to protect and implement the laws we have passed, especially as the gun lobby seeks to weaken them through lawsuits and bills in the General Assembly that attempt to dismantle the work accomplished to date.

We must work now to implement the ‘Permit to Purchase’ bill signed into law last year. We must solidify this law since it has proven so effective in other states in reducing the number of guns and helping to prevent gun violence, whether outright shootings or suicides. Public education must be increased pertaining to the prevention of gun-related suicides.