I guess they realize it's illegal on a local level, so they're putting pressure on the state.

http://mainlinemedianews.com/articles/2010/04/21/king_of_prussia_courier/news/doc4bcc6f971b372984659357.txt


By Mark D. Marotta

UPPER MERION—The supervisors have passed a resolution calling for a state law requiring gun owners to report lost or stolen firearms to the police.

The five-member board voted unanimously Thursday on a motion made by Erika Spott and seconded by Vice Chairman Edward McBride.

According to the resolution, more than 1,200 people die in Pennsylvania annually from firearms-related injuries. “The vast majority of gun-related shootings and homicides in Pennsylvania are committed using illegal handguns,” the resolution said.

Through a practice called “straw purchasing,” the resolution added, individuals who passed criminal background checks purchased guns and gave or sold them to criminals legally prohibited from owning weapons. The resolution said that criminal investigations were impeded when police tracing guns to the original owners were told the weapon had been lost or stolen.

“Requiring handgun owners to notify police when a handgun is lost or stolen can be an important tool to help police identify straw buyers who are trafficking in illegal guns, enabling investigators to crackdown on straw gun sales and to stem the tide of illegal handgun trafficking in Pennsylvania,” the resolution said.

Spott said the resolution “is obviously to stem a difficult problem.” She added, “Municipalities in this area have taken this step.”

Citizens and police at the township’s police advisory committee meeting earlier in the week had supported the resolution, Spott told her fellow supervisors.

McBride said he had met earlier in the day with Sen. Anthony Williams, D- 8th. Dist. and gubernatorial candidate, and Williams indicated that straw purchases were a problem in counties throughout Pennsylvania.

“This is a statewide issue,” McBride added. He said that the more that was done to close the gap in the existing law, the better it would be for the Commonwealth.

Supervisor Gregory Waks said he thought he had recently seen a poll indicating that members of the NRA supported the type of legislation called for in the resolution.

“I’m very glad that we’re passing this,” Waks added.