Bump stock bill poised for final vote in Delaware House Thursday

DOVER, Del. (AP) - House lawmakers in Delaware are poised to cast what could be the final vote on a bill banning bump stocks, trigger cranks and similar devices that increase the rate of fire of semi-automatic firearms.

Thursday's scheduled vote comes after the Senate amended the bill last week to lower the penalty for a first offense of possessing a bump stock from a misdemeanor punishable by up to a year in prison to a misdemeanor carrying a maximum six-month sentence.

The change marked the eighth amendment to the bill since its introduction in December.

As initially written, the bill made a first offense of possessing, selling or buying a bump stock a felony.

As currently written, the first-offense penalty is a misdemeanor for possession only, but a felony for buying or selling.