House panel shoots down Rendell's gun control bills

[Iceman]

The following are links to todays votes on HB-18, 22, and 29.

Please let your representatives know how you feel about their actions!

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...2007&rNbr=1200

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...2007&rNbr=1201

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...2007&rNbr=1202

[CHAUKA]

House panel shoots down Rendell's gun control bills

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07324/835397-100.stm

Tuesday, November 20, 2007
By Tom Barnes, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
HARRISBURG -- Gov. Ed Rendell suffered a stinging political defeat today as a House committee defeated two gun control bills he had wanted and tabled a third.

The Judiciary Committee did give overwhelming approval to a fourth bill, but it wasn't controversial. It calls for a mandatory 20-year jail sentence for anyone convicted of intentionally shooting at a police officer, even if the officer isn't hit.

In what longtime Capitol observers said was an unprecedented action, Mr. Rendell testified for 40 minutes before the Judiciary Committee and, in an emotional voice, strongly urged them to send all the bills to the House floor so the public would know where all 203 House members stood.

One would limit gun buyers to purchasing just one handgun a month. It was defeated 17 to 12. Another bill would have allowed towns and cities to enact their own gun laws, even if they were tougher than state law. (Currently only the Legislature can enact guns laws, to avoid what gun owners call a "confusing patchwork'' of laws from town to town). That bill was defeated 19 to 10.

The committee tabled a measure that would have required gun owners to report to police immediately any gun that was lost or stolen. Owners could face fines or even jail time if they failed to do so. Mr. Rendell said such a reporting requirement would go a long way toward stopping "straw purchasers,'' people without a police record who are paid money by criminals to buy guns for them.

Technically, tabling the bill keeps it alive. Rep. Dan Frankel, D-Squirrel Hill, who supported all the bills, said there was some concern among some members that a law-abiding gun owner could face jail time if he or she unintentionally misplaced a gun or failed to report a lost weapon to police. He said the bill may be amended and brought up for a vote sometime later.

Rep. Ron Marsico, R-Dauphin, who opposed the bills, called them "feel-good pieces of legislation'' that wouldn't really stop crime.

[JCF191101]

Excellent news!

[bogey1]

Originally Posted by Iceman

The following are links to todays votes on HB-18, 22, and 29.

Please let your representatives know how you feel about their actions!

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...2007&rNbr=1200

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...2007&rNbr=1201

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...2007&rNbr=1202

how about what the republican from montco said after she voted yes on the one gun a month bill, im screwed now, oh well... then on camera she said it will hurt her down the road.. its about time these politicians figured it out. when you vote against the second amendment, it will hurt you come election time. just like the spokesman for the nra said, we KNOW who voted against us...

[itstock]

fail.fail.pass.


At least the MAJORITY had the sense to fail the first two. I agree that a stolen or lost gun should be reported ASAP, so I can't say that I would want that bill to fail. Any responsible gun owner with half a brain would report a gun stolen as soon as realizing it.

[LorDiego01]

I thought that one of the passed.

THe one about forcing people to tell police if they lost or had their firearms stolen.
Which really... is that a bad thing?

[Garpman]

Well, as gun lovers, we would report our guns anyway when we found out because we are enthusiasts, and responsible.

However, if they make it into law that you have a time limit to do so, it could turn you into a guilty party if you were away from home for whatever reason, business, travel, etc. You know damn well that if a crime was committed with a stolen gun, and they traced it to you as being the owner, they'd throw the book first and not listen to any reasons why you didn't report it, even if you were not home and were ignorant of the fact.

And then would come legal battles, spending ridiculous amounts of money, trying to clear your name, most likely the rest of your guns confiscated, not being able to purchase more during the case, license revoked, etc.

[Pa. Patriot]

The Judiciary Committee did give overwhelming approval to a fourth bill, but it wasn't controversial. It calls for a mandatory 20-year jail sentence for anyone convicted of intentionally shooting at a police officer, even if the officer isn't hit..

What about (justified) self-defense?

[dragonofpa]

Oh nnnooooooeessssss HB29 passed. I don't think this is a good thing.

[brewguy]

Originally Posted by LorDiego01

I thought that one of the passed.

THe one about forcing people to tell police if they lost or had their firearms stolen.
Which really... is that a bad thing?

The question is how does it prevent a criminal from using it?