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Delaware Bill Requires Reporting of Lost or Stolen Guns

123rf.com

DOVER, Del. (AP) - A state Senate committee is considering a bill that requires gun owners to report to police within 48 hours after discovering that a firearm has been lost or stolen.

Supporters of the measure being discussed Wednesday say mandatory reporting can help prevent firearms from winding up in the hands of criminals prohibited from possessing them and reduce straw purchases. A straw purchase occurs when a person buys a gun for someone not allowed to have one. Straw purchasers often claim that a firearm traced back to them after a crime had been lost or stolen.

The committee also will discuss a competing Republican proposal that increases the penalty for trying to cover up a straw purchase by falsely reporting that a gun has been lost or stolen.

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.