Meyer signs third gun law for NCCo

New Castle County Executive Matt Meyer on Thursday signed one final piece of gun safety legislation in his tenure.

And the head of a gun rights group says it’s just another Democrat move to restrict those rights.

Meyer, the Democrat nominee for Delaware governor, enacted Ordinance 24-084, which will restrict where future firearm retail businesses can be located within the county. 

Gun businesses will not be permitted within 500 feet of residential areas, 1,000 feet of schools, daycares, or government parks and 1,500 feet of another firearm retail establishment.

It’s the latest of a series of three gun safety laws from Meyer, the other two signed in June.

Those laws:

• Enhance security at gun stores by requiring they implement best security practices to protect against theft, including video surveillance, security alarms, bars, security screens, and physical barriers on doors and windows, and bollards and other physical barriers to prevent the use of motor vehicles to breach all buildings where firearms are stored.
• Prohibit firearms, ammunition, and explosives in county government buildings

Jeff Hague, president of the Delaware State Sportsmen’s Association, said these ordinances are another attempt by Meyer to restrict and limit the rights of lawful gun owners. 

“People don’t shoplift from any of the other little gun stores,” he said, “so that was unnecessary, and it’s going to do nothing but add cost to the bottom line of a retailer.”

He said he challenges Meyer to tell him where a gun store could be founded with all the new distance restrictions. 

“He does not want people to be able to own firearms,” Hague said. “He’s making a political statement to gain votes at the expense of lawful gun owners, and it’s just another attempt to restrict the rights of people to keep and bear arms that are lawful citizens.”