MAY 20, 2021 — State Rep. Ruth Briggs King (R-Georgetown, Long Neck) is sponsoring an amendment to a controversial gun control bill in a bid to save Sussex County jobs.
The Delaware Large Capacity Magazine Prohibition Act of 2021 (Senate Bill 6) seeks to prohibit the manufacture, sale, purchase, transfer, or possession any firearm magazine with a capacity exceeding 17 rounds of ammunition.
If Senate Bill 6 were to become law, citizens found in possession of barred magazines would face a Class B misdemeanor for a first offense and a Class E felony for a subsequent offense. 
Rep. Briggs King says a manufacturing business in her district, Atlantis Industries Corporation (in photo), presently manufactures firearm components that would be barred under the bill.
“If Senate Bill 6 were to pass unamended, Atlantis Industries and its workforce would be significantly impacted,” she said. The enterprise employs 60 to 100 people.
The proposed amendment would exempt any Delaware manufacturer producing non-compliant magazines as long as the products are sold outside the state.
“I applaud Rep. Briggs King’s plan to introduce this amendment and to address what could end up being a serious outcome for our economic development efforts,” said Sussex County Economic Development Director Bill Pfaff. “This amendment will go a long way in helping to retain Atlantis Industries in Delaware, preserve the workforce, and maintain their contribution to our tax base.”
Rep. Briggs King said it would be “irresponsible” for supporters of the bill to disregard the dire potential impact its enactment could have on the livelihoods of the dozens of people employed at the Georgetown facility.
Senate Bill 6 is currently on the House Ready List and is eligible to be acted on by the chamber. The measure earlier won approval in the Senate.
