SB1012 - penelties for allowing firearm access for minors

**coat4gun** · July 11th, 2009, 07:57 AM

While this bill may sound good, it is still none of the Governments business when I decide to give firearm access to my kids. My kids were home alone many times after they were like 12 or 13 and they had the means to protect themselves if need be. This Law would outlaw that means. Like I said, my decision, not any one else's.

SB1012 - An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in minors, defining the offense of providing minors access to firearms; and prescribing penalties.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...type=B&bn=1012

**cgbudde** · July 11th, 2009, 08:36 AM

(c) Defenses.--It shall be a defense to a prosecution under

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this section if any of the following apply:

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(1) The firearm was stored or left in a securely locked

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box or container, in a location a reasonable person would

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have believed to be secure or was securely locked with a

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trigger lock.

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(2) The minor obtains the firearm as a result of an

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unlawful entry by any person.

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(3) The minor's possession of a firearm is under adult

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supervision while engaged in hunting, sporting or other

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lawful purposes.

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(4) Injuries result from target or sport shooting

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accidents or hunting accidents.

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(5) The minor's possession of the firearm is incidental

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to the performance of the official duties of the United

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States Armed Forces, the Pennsylvania National Guard or the

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personnel of any Federal, State or local law enforcement

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agency.

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(6) The minor's parent or the person having charge of

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the minor granted permission to the minor to access the

firearm.

The way I read this section of the bill, if I give my 14yr old son permission then I and my son would be ok if he is alone in my house and someone breaks in and he needs to defend himself.

**Brick** · July 11th, 2009, 08:47 AM

Good Catch! I'm glad you beat me to posting this. Rep to you

With or without the 'defense to charges" section this is another example of bad law. Largely because:
1. It is too easy for officials to abuse.
2. It opens the door to "other requirements" when it is found that this was only a good first step.
3. It negates the idea of maintaining a loaded firearm for home defense.

**coat4gun** · July 11th, 2009, 11:18 AM

Originally Posted by cgbudde

(c) Defenses.--It shall be a defense to a prosecution under

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this section if any of the following apply:

The way I read this section of the bill, if I give my 14yr old son permission then I and my son would be ok if he is alone in my house and someone breaks in and he needs to defend himself.

The problem with "It shall be a defense to a prosecution" is that I am assumed guilty and therefore have to prove my innocence... and I really can not afford, or should I have to afford a lawyer. So my son or daughter goes through the trauma of a break in... and they are forced to defend themselves... and now daddy is in jail because he responsibly left them the means to defend themselves. Sure, I may get off with this defense, but in the mean time my kids, my wife and I am further traumatized by this bad law.

**PennsyPlinker** · July 11th, 2009, 12:04 PM

This bill does not do anything but make life harder for law abiding citizens. It is already illegal for people of any age to use a gun to kill others, or even just wing them. The rest of it is a bunch of fluff to convince the population that the nanny state is taking care to make sure no little kiddies get a gun and go on a rampage. Right.

If it is signed into law, I predict it will be used to divest people of their firearms because they have children in the house who may have used them at some point.

I didn't even have a safe until my first two kids were grown and out the door, because I didn't really see the need for one. My parents never had a safe when we were kids, and we didn't shoot anyone. my kids never shot anyone either, although they could have. All three of them are proficient in using all of my guns. We taught them that from early on, just in case they needed it.

No, this is just something to make the inner city people think that the pols really care about them and are really doing something to protect them. I'm going to have to get my pen out for this one too.