DELAWARE STATE SENATE

149th GENERAL ASSEMBLY

SENATE BILL NO. 117

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DANGEROUS WEAPONS.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF DELAWARE:

Amend Chapter 5, Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1445 Unlawfully dealing with a dangerous weapon; unclassified misdemeanor.

A person is guilty of unlawfully dealing with a dangerous weapon when:

  (1) The person possesses, sells or in any manner has control of:

a. A weapon which by compressed air or by spring discharges or projects a pellet, slug , or bullet , or other hard solid object , except a commercially manufactured BB gun, pellet gun, or air gun which does not discharge or project a pellet or slug larger than a BB shot ; or

b. A pellet, slug , or bullet, or other hard solid projectile, intending that it be used in any weapon prohibited by paragraph (1)a. of this section; or

SYNOPSIS

This bill allows a pellet gun, airbow, and most other air guns to be possessed and utilized for hunting in Delaware, however, it does not change the classification of airbows and higher powered air rifles as firearms. The bill also does not change that possession of weapons such as “zip guns” and other created weapons are illegal and listed as a dangerous weapon.

Author: Senator Ennis