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July 8th, 2010, 11:45 AM #1
Here we go again - Bethlehem Lost and Stolen
http://www.mcall.com/news/local/beth...,4402548.story
Bethlehem floats gun law
Owners would get 24 hours to report lost, stolen guns.
Riding the momentum of a recent state Supreme Court ruling, two Bethlehem city councilmen are pushing to require gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms within 24 hours of discovering them missing.
The proposal, offered by council President Robert Donchez and Councilman William Reynolds, is aimed at thwarting "straw purchases" by people who legally buy guns and then sell them to felons, later claiming the firearms were lost or stolen.
"This will not affect those who want to legally purchase and own a gun. This is aimed at stopping those so-called straw-purchasers," Reynolds said. "It's not a panacea for crime, but it will be one more tool to help keep the streets safe."
But if the law passes, Lehigh County District Attorney Jim Martin will instruct city police not to enforce the ordinance in the Lehigh portion of Bethlehem. He believes the state — not a municipality — has the power to regulate guns, said Debbie Garlicki, Martin's spokeswoman.
She said Martin's opinion, which he aired when Allentown passed a similar ordinance two years ago, remains unchanged in light of the recent court ruling. Last month, the state Supreme Court decided against hearing a similar law in Philadelphia, allowing the reporting requirement there to stand.
Martin's counterpart in Northampton County, District Attorney John Morganelli, said he supports the concept of reporting lost or stolen guns within 48 hours, but like cell phone bans, it should be on a statewide level rather than be a patchwork of local ordinances.
"I don't have the resources to defend the constitutionality of every municipality's individual ordinance," Morganelli said, adding that his office would not enforce it.
Forty-five municipalities across the state have enacted similar laws and resolutions since 2008 when the state Legislature failed to pass a statewide law, according to the gun control advocacy group, Cease-FirePA.
Allentown passed an ordinance in 2008, requiring the reporting within 24 hours, and earlier this year, Wilson passed a law with a 72-hour reporting requirement. Easton City Council voted down a similar proposal in November 2008 when advised the law would not hold up, but because of the ruling on Philadelphia's law will reconsider the proposal this month.
Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan, who joined Easton Mayor Sal Panto Jr. and Allentown Mayor Ed Pawlowski two years ago to help bring the law to the Lehigh Valley's three cities, issued a statement saying he will support the ordinance.
Bethlehem Police Commissioner Stuart Bedics said he supports Bethlehem's proposal because it would make gun owners more responsible.
"The gun owner should know where the gun is at all times, and hopefully, it's under lock and key," Bedics said. "When it goes missing, it should be reported."
Donchez said the details of the ordinance will be worked out in council committee. Among the discussion items, he said, could be the time frame in which the gun could be reported lost or stolen. He also acknowledged the limitations of a local ordinance.
"Certainly, this would be more effective if it were enacted statewide, but in the absence of state law, I think we need to be more proactive," Donchez said. "If one gun lost or stolen is reported to police because of this ordinance, that's a success as far as I'm concerned."
Opponents of the law have argued that "straw" purchases are already illegal, though proving such a transaction can be difficult if someone is not caught in the act. Laws on lost and stolen guns, opponents argue, punish legal gun owners who might not know the firearm was taken.
Reporter Michael Duck contributed to this report.
Controlling guns
Bethlehem City Council is considering an ordinance that lost or stolen guns be reported.
Time-frame: within 24 hours of discovering gun missing
Penalty: $600 fine and/or 90 days in prison
Source: City of Bethlehem
Copyright © 2010, The Morning Call
Bethlehem is a city in Lehigh and Northampton Counties in the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, in the United States.
What is the point of passing it then?
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July 8th, 2010, 11:53 AM #2
Re: Here we go again - Bethlehem Lost and Stolen
Does anyone in that article know the difference between not having standing in court and a ruling on the merits?
NRA life member/ILA/PVA/Whittington Center sponsor
GOA member/Second Amendment Foundation member
NAHC life member/KECA founding committee member
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July 8th, 2010, 12:11 PM #3
Re: Here we go again - Bethlehem Lost and Stolen
Obviously, we need to restrict the guns of the untrained citizens, who are not sophisticated enough to handle firearms safely ....um..
http://www.policespecial.com/intheli...an/Sollman.htm
http://celebrifi.com/gossip/Sleeping...d-2503674.html
OK, but citizens have proven themselves incapable of keeping proper track of dangerous weapons....and..um....uh oh...
http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31727_16...-10391695.html
http://www.gunguys.com/?p=1832
http://abcnews.go.com/TheLaw/homelan...ory?id=9875383Attorney Phil Kline, AKA gunlawyer001@gmail.com
Ce sac n'est pas un jouet.
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July 8th, 2010, 02:37 PM #4Active Member
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Re: Here we go again - Bethlehem Lost and Stolen
snapped off a pre-emptive email against it to the city council. unfortunately I know the mayor - who is running against charlie dent and he is a "tow the line" maig kind of guy just to get elected.
the mayor and I are just congenial to each other the few times a year we see each other as, well we have diametrically opposed views on the role of government.
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