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Beau Biden Gun Prevention Act Signed into Law

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Delaware Governor John Carney signed into law a measure aimed at keeping firearms out of the hands of those with mental health problems.

It’s called the Beau Biden Gun Violence Prevention Act named after the form state attorney general and son of former Vice President Joe Biden.

Beau Biden backed a similar bill in 2013.

He died from cancer in 2015.

But former the former vice president was on hand for the signing ceremony on Monday.

WBOC reports that he told those in attendance that his son vowed never to give up on the measure when he lost in the fight in the state legislature.

Under the measure police who have been notified by a mental health provider could force a person to relinquish their firearms under a temporary order by the Justice of the Peace magistrate.  

That case would then be referred to the state attorney general’s office which could then petition Superior Court.

Don Rush is the News Director at Delmarva Public Media. An award-winning journalist, Don reports major local issues of the day, from sea level rise, to urban development, to the changing demographics of Delmarva.