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Okay to Carry Guns in Delaware State Parks and Forests

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It is now legal to bring firearms into Delaware state parks and forests.

The Delaware Supreme Court ruled that the state’s ban on such weapons was unconstitutional.

The vote on the court was 3-to-2.

The Wilmington News Journal reports that the high court ruled that state agencies did not have the authority to impose regulations that violate rights under the state constitution.

The majority wrote this includes the right to bear arms to protect one's self and family outside the home.

The paper reports that a ban on firearms in state parks was enacted in the 1960’s and included those with a permit.

A ban on carrying weapons in the state forests was enacted in the 1970’s.

Don Rush is the News Director and Senior Producer of News and Public Affairs 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.