HB123 • 2025

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM.

Crime Education Firearms

Enacted

This bill passed the Legislature and reached final enactment based on the latest official action.

Sponsor: Chukwuocha
Last action: 2025-08-20
Official status: Signed 8/20/25
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source material did not provide specific details on enforcement mechanisms or penalties for violating the shooting range exemption.

Law About Shooting Guns Near Buildings, Churches, Cars, and Businesses

This law makes it illegal to shoot a gun at buildings where people live, churches, cars, or businesses in Delaware.

What This Bill Does

Makes it against the law to shoot a gun at a building where people live (dwelling), a place of worship like a church, a car, or a business.
Defines what is meant by 'place of business' and says that shooting ranges are not included in this definition.
A violation of this new rule is classified as a class E felony.

Who It Names or Affects

People who live in Delaware
Business owners and managers
Church leaders and members

Terms To Know

Class E felony: A serious crime that can lead to a prison sentence.
Reckless endangering: Doing something dangerous that could hurt someone else.

Limits and Unknowns

It's unclear how this will be enforced or who will enforce it.

Amendments

These notes stay tied to the official amendment files and metadata from the legislature.

HA 1

1 • Chukwuocha

Passed 6/17/25

Plain English: The amendment changes 'discharging a firearm at' to 'discharging a firearm towards' specific places, and adds schools and colleges to the list of protected areas.

Changes the wording from 'discharging a firearm at' to 'discharging a firearm towards' certain buildings or vehicles.
Adds schools and institutions of higher education to the list of places where discharging a firearm is prohibited.

Bill History

2025-08-20 Delaware General Assembly
Signed by Governor
2025-06-30 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By Senate. Votes: 20 YES 1 ABSENT
2025-06-25 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in Senate with 1 Favorable, 5 On Its Merits, 1 Unfavorable
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 123 - Passed In House by Voice Vote
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Passed By House. Votes: 30 YES 1 NO 5 NOT VOTING 5 ABSENT
2025-06-17 Delaware General Assembly
Assigned to Judiciary Committee in Senate
2025-06-11 Delaware General Assembly
Amendment HA 1 to HB 123 - Introduced and Placed With Bill
2025-05-21 Delaware General Assembly
Reported Out of Committee (Judiciary) in House with 7 On Its Merits
2025-04-17 Delaware General Assembly
Introduced and Assigned to Judiciary Committee in House

Official Summary Text

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM.
This Act creates the crime of “discharging a firearm at a dwelling, place of worship, vehicle, or place of business.” The offense is a class E felony.
The offense contains a provision that provides that a person may not be convicted of both a violation of this section and reckless endangering 1st or 2nd with regard to the same conduct. It also exempts a shooting range from the businesses covered by the statute.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Legislation Document

SPONSOR:

Rep. Chukwuocha & Sen. Brown & Rep. Cooke

Reps. Griffith, K. Johnson, D. Short, Bolden, Carson, Ortega; Sen. Seigfried

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

153rd GENERAL ASSEMBLY

HOUSE BILL NO. 123

AN ACT TO AMEND TITLE 11 OF THE DELAWARE CODE RELATING TO DISCHARGE OF A FIREARM.

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

Section 1. Amend Part E, Subchapter VII, Chapter 5 of Title 11 of the Delaware Code by making deletions as shown by strike through and insertions as shown by underline as follows:

§ 1460A. Discharging a firearm at a dwelling, place of worship, vehicle, or place of business.

(a) It is unlawful to knowingly or intentionally discharge a firearm at any of the following:

(1) A dwelling.

(2) A place of worship.

(3) A vehicle.

(4) A place of business.

(b) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Dwelling” means as defined in § 829 of this title.

(2) “Place of business” means a permanent physical structure that is marked with signage and within which a commercial, service, or other legal enterprise is operated. “Place of business” does not include a shooting range or other business the purpose of which is to provide a venue for lawful firearm practice or other lawful firearm uses.

(c) A violation of this section is a class E felony.

(d) A person may not be convicted of both a violation of this section and reckless endangering in the first degree, or both a violation of this section and reckless endangering in the second degree, with regard to the same conduct.

SYNOPSIS

This Act creates the crime of “discharging a firearm at a dwelling, place of worship, vehicle, or place of business.” The offense is a class E felony.

The offense contains a provision that provides that a person may not be convicted of both a violation of this section and reckless endangering 1st or 2nd with regard to the same conduct. It also exempts a shooting range from the businesses covered by the statute.