What issues are important to you?

[danp]

Howdy all,

I just wanted to ask all of you a simple, but very important question:

What firearms issues are important to you in relation to Pennsylvania? What would you like to see changed?

Here's what I've gathered from you all so far:

1. Preserving State Pre-emption
2. Problems with Philadelphia PD
3. Allow hunting with semi-autos (at least for small game)
4. Prohibition on carrying in state parks
5. Repealing the law preventing non-permit-holders from carrying legally owned firearms during states of emergencies for protection
6. Pushing for more education on gun laws among law enforcement
7. Changing the law regarding loaded long guns in vehicles
8. Pushing for more clarity on the legality of open carry
9. Address the issue of being prohibited from carrying to and from work due to firearm bans on private property even if kept in a car
10. Lifetime carry permits
11. Make renewing carry permits easier
12. Expanding castle doctrine to anywhere you have a legal right to be (a la the Florida law)
13. Addressing the questionable pseudo-gun-registry the state police keep under the guise of a 'purchase database'

One of my personal issues:

For example, a major issue for me is the Philadelphia Police Department's attitude towards permit holders and gun owners in general. Namely, the PPD's apparent policy of "illegally" revoking LTCF's on the spot to people who have had guns stolen from them.

I say "illegally" because my understanding of the law is as follows:

(i) Revocation.--A license to carry firearms may be revoked by the issuing authority for good cause. A license to carry firearms shall be revoked by the issuing authority for any reason stated in subsection (e)(1) which occurs during the term of the permit. Notice of revocation shall be in writing and shall state the specific reason for revocation. Notice shall be sent by certified mail, and, at that time, a copy shall be forwarded to the commissioner. An individual whose license is revoked shall surrender the license to the issuing authority within five days of receipt of the notice. An individual whose license is revoked may appeal to the court of common pleas for the judicial district in which the individual resides. An individual who violates this section commits a summary offense.

From what I have heard the PPD does not follow this process, they just take your license (sometimes through deception, saying they need to "make a copy" and it's never returned). They know full well that Pennsylvania requires you to have your permit on you to carry so all they have to do is remove it from you.

Solutions I see to this are

1. Confronting the Philadelphia PD publicly on the issue
2. Lobbying to have the law changed to not require that you have the permit on your person while carrying. That way the PPD can take them all day long but until the permit is actually revoked it doesn't stop the holder from carrying.

So let's hear it guys, what's important to you?

[dgg9]

Essentially the same things are important to me as a Philadelphia resident: namely the increasing CCW holder oppression by PPD:

1. As you say: if your gun is stolen, YOU get punished. This impacts me since now I can't run ANY prolonged errands to/from the range, when pistols are in the trunk.

2. Constant angst about physically losing the permit (say, you lose your wallet) -- PPD will make you complete the ENTIRE application/wait process to replace a lost permit.

3. The ways they find to be bureaucratically abusive towards the CCW application process: treating renewals the same as fresh applications; ever more stringent requirements for your two references.

4. The ever-worsening risk that Philly will successfully detach themselves from PA state pre-emption.

[nolanp]

I know that ppd take LTCF guns an say they will be returned to the owner but it seems that it never happens that way . People are being told thier guns were destroyed,and I dont think it is true.

[Karys]

I have an issue with the renewal of LTCFs in Montgomery County.

The sheriff requires a background check to be performed by your local law enforcement department if you are a new applicant or if you are renewing a permit that was originally issued in another county.

By doing this, the Montgomery County sheriff is essentially instituting a waiting period for carry permits since the process does not start at the sheriff's office until the local background check is received.

Solutions:

Since this is all being done at the discretion of the Montgomery Co. sherrif, I doubt that much could be done.

Another issue I have is not being able to hunt with semi-auto firearms. I can understand not allowing semi-autos for the two week buck and doe season with so many hunters in the woods, especially on public land. I don't see a problem with hunting squirrels with a Ruger 10/22 or a semi-auto .22 pistol or hunting groundhogs with a CMP AR-15.

Solution:

Lobbying to change the law to allow semi-autos for small game and groundhogs, maybe with a capacity limit of 10 rounds for rimfire and 5 rounds for centerfire?

[LittleRedToyota]

i have a problem with pretty much all state laws regulating guns given that the PA constitution says the right to keep and bear arms "shall not be questioned".

this really leaves absolutely no room for any state laws regulating guns.

now, someone may argue that we really don't want convicted rapists, for example, having guns. i agree. however, the state constitution says what it says.

if we want to have laws regulating guns in anyway in this state, we need to change the state constitution (perhaps to something like "shall not be questioned except in cases of persons convicted of felonies" or something like that).

imho, the most dangerous thing in the world is a government who does not adhere to the limits placed on its power by the constitution that empowers it. in the long run, that is much more dangerous that felons in posession of guns...just ask the jews who suffered under the nazis...ask the people being slaughter in darfur...etc. etc.

on a more mundane level, my biggest concerns are:

1. that state pre-emption will be repealed and pittsburgh (and other localities) will be free to enact their own AWBs, regulations on carrying, etc. (even though those would violate the state constitution...but the courts don't seem to care about that).

2. the prohibition against carrying in state parks.

3. the prohibition against carrying a semi-auto CCW while hunting (though it looks like that is going away....woohoo)

4. the law prohibiting the carrying of weapons in public during states of emergency or whatever the exact wording is (there is, thankfully, an exception for LTCF holders, but people who do not hold an LTCF should not suddenly have their right to keep and bear arms suspended at a time when they might most need that right).

5. not being able to hunt with my AR15. (not that i want to send 30 round downrange at a deer...but i love the gun, i shoot it accurately, it's light, etc. i should be able to hunt with it.)

of course, these all (except the last one) come back to the real problem...the government ignores (and the courts do not enforce) the clause of the state constitution that says the right to keep and bear arms shall not be questioned.

[Gary in Pennsylvania]

Originally Posted by dgg9

1. As you say: if your gun is stolen, YOU get punished. This impacts me since now I can't run ANY prolonged errands to/from the range, when pistols are in the trunk.

2. Constant angst about physically losing the permit (say, you lose your wallet) -- PPD will make you complete the ENTIRE application/wait process to replace a lost permit.

3. The ways they find to be bureaucratically abusive towards the CCW application process: treating renewals the same as fresh applications; ever more stringent requirements for your two references.

I agree! I'd like to see more refresher training ensuring that ALL LEO's have a clear understanding of firearms laws. It seems that a lot of discussion on the board revolves around vague interpretations of the law vs. accurate understanding of the law.

[Karys]

Originally Posted by Gary in Pennsylvania

I agree! I'd like to see more refresher training ensuring that ALL LEO's have a clear understanding of firearms laws. It seems that a lot of discussion on the board revolves around vague interpretations of the law vs. accurate understanding of the law.

Amen brother! I've personally run into a couple of LEO's that either had no clue about some firearms laws or interpreted some laws according to their own opinions.

[Frenchy]

For me, I see many things as important, possibly the most is education.

And I see this not just on a government level, but also on a corporate level.
Golf clubs in the car… Not a problem. .
Archery equipment in the trunk… Not a problem.
You have a Bowling Ball? Come on, the company has a bowling team!
You have Guns? Let’s search the car! Get off the property…

With education, we learnt AIDS was not some thing you got walking in a room with a coworker.
We Learnt Gays can work along regular people,
We learnt a Black person could work as well as a white person.
Educated companies send their people for drug or alcohol abuse to rehab.
These are all things that would not of happened 20 to 30 years ago.

Companies need education on firearms. People in general need education on firearms. And the government needs education on firearm laws that exist already.

So I would say Education of firearms is important to me. Al the rest will follow.


THEN our Govt can say you can chose, Get a good education or be in Iraq.

[dmg1969]

I would have to say that my main concern is the demonization of handguns (or other guns for that matter) as "dangerous weapons". Contrary to what some anti-gun nuts may say, I have yet to see a gun shoot someone without human interaction.

A gun is simply a tool that can be used correctly or incorrectly...by the right person or the wrong person. A gun in my hands is safe because I know how to handle it responsibly. A gun in the hands of someone meaning to do no good is dangerous. Take that person away and the gun becomes an inanimate object again...no longer dangerous. An Ax in the hands of a lumberjack is a tool. In the hands of a criminal or someone in the middle of a psychotic episode, it can be a dangerous weapon.

The second thing is the demonization of those who choose to carry a firearm for self defense. I have heard us called "rednecks", "paranoid" and "makes you feel like a big man". I am none of those things. I just refuse to be a victim.

Sorry if I rambled.

Dave G.

[TonyF]

Reverse the prohibition on concealed and open carry in state parks.

Reverse the prohibition on maintaining a loaded long gun in your vehicle.

That Open Carry become law as opposed to *not prohibited*.