Philly council is at it again...

[LittleRedToyota]

http://www.philly.com/inquirer/local...n_Council.html

2 gun-control bills introduced in Council
By Jeff Shields

Inquirer Staff Writer

The same Philadelphia City Council members who have challenged the state's supremacy on gun laws introduced two new gun-control bills yesterday, one aimed at closing what critics say is a big loophole in the secondhand gun market.

Under legislation proposed by Council members Donna Reed Miller and Darrell L. Clarke, anyone reselling a gun would have have to run the sale through a licensed dealer, who would run a background check on the buyer.

A similar state law already exists, but critics say it is too narrow and has no effect on individuals selling guns to other individuals.

"We're looking at all the avenues and cracks in the system," Miller said.

The other bill introduced yesterday would raise the city penalty for carrying a gun illegally from $300 to $1,900 and would allow police to confiscate a car driven by someone illegally carrying a gun - regardless of ownership of the car.

Clarke and Miller introduced five measures this spring that have been challenged by the National Rifle Association and others. Three laws that were upheld by Common Pleas Court were the subject of a hearing yesterday in which the NRA is seeking an injunction on their enforcement. The laws would require gun owners to report their lost or stolen weapons to police and would bar gun ownership by people who are the subject of a protection-from-abuse order or are deemed a danger to themselves or others.

The two Council members also have sued the state Assembly in a separate action, seeking authority to enforce seven 2007 gun laws without state approval. Clarke and Miller lost the first round in Commonwealth Court last month and vowed to appeal to the Supreme Court.

C. Scott Shields, the attorney representing the NRA in those cases, predicted the new bills, if they became law, would be challenged and fail because the state was the only entity authorized to regulate firearms.

"They already have the tools to enforce this stuff. They just choose not to use them," Shields said. "I'm just confounded that these people are pressing ahead."

In other Council action, City Councilman Frank DiCicco introduced legislation to change the zoning around the Gallery at Market East to allow for a casino, should the Foxwoods Casino plan to build at the Gallery be approved by the City Planning Commission, City Council, and the Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board.

Mayor Nutter joined DiCicco after the meeting to insist that neighborhood concerns would be addressed over the course of a planning process that is expected to take six months or more.

"This is a new opportunity for us to take a second look at how we revitalize an essential component of our Center City corridor," Nutter said. "There was no other idea or proposal out there that could have the same revitalization impact."

Councilwoman Jannie L. Blackwell proposed a change to the City Charter that would automatically promote, posthumously, any police officer or firefighter who was killed or died in the line of duty. Whether such promotion would affect survivor benefits will be a subject for hearings, Blackwell's office said.

For the charter change to take effect, voters would have to approve such a measure in next year's primary, at the earliest.

Under the current police contract, officers killed "performing heroic acts" in the line of duty have their pensions calculated at the next-highest rank for their surviving beneficiaries, who are eligible for 50 percent of a deceased officer's pension.

Council members Bill Green, Curtis Jones Jr. and Maria Quiñones Sánchez want to require the 20 percent of city workers who still get paper checks to switch to direct deposit, and to put an end to paper check stubs for everyone.

They say the cost of paper checks and paper direct-deposit statements exceeds $500,000 annually, including paper, printing, postage, labor, and transaction fees. Employees would be given four months to switch, and direct-deposit statements would be sent out electronically.

these people need to be arrested and prosecuted for repeatedly, defiantly breaking state law...and wasting a small mountain of tax payer dollars in defending these ordinances that keep getting shot down...and basically being in contempt of court for continuing to pass them even after the courts have repeatedly made it very clear they are not allowed to pass these ordinances.

it's pretty sad that the philly DA refuses to do her job and have these criminals arrested and prosecuted.

[knight0334]

And why hasn't anyone from there pulled an Athen's?

[1blindref]

"We're looking at all the avenues and cracks in the system," Miller said.

I wish they would seal up the cracks in the system that allow criminals to get out of jail early instead of trying to make more laws that will have ZERO effect on crime.

[PAhunter]

The same Philadelphia City Council members who have challenged the state's supremacy on gun laws introduced two new gun-control bills yesterday, one aimed at closing what critics say is a big loophole in the secondhand gun market.

Under legislation proposed by Council members Donna Reed Miller and Darrell L. Clarke, anyone reselling a gun would have have to run the sale through a licensed dealer, who would run a background check on the buyer.

A similar state law already exists, but critics say it is too narrow and has no effect on individuals selling guns to other individuals.

"We're looking at all the avenues and cracks in the system," Miller said.

Laws are on the books for handgun sales. Are they trying to change the law regarding FTF for long guns?
How about they legislate a mandate that the DA prosecute those who commit a crime against the current laws regarding gun sales. Mandatory hard time, maybe 5-15 years. No more pleas to a lesser and probation. I don't care how full the jails are let them be uncomfortable for awhile.

Jack

[mjfletcher]

Laws are on the books for handgun sales. Are they trying to change the law regarding FTF for long guns?
How about they legislate a mandate that the DA prosecute those who commit a crime against the current laws regarding gun sales. Mandatory hard time, maybe 5-15 years. No more pleas to a lesser and probation. I don't care how full the jails are let them be uncomfortable for awhile.

Jack

Hard Time For Gun Crime has worked int other states, so put it to use here. Our gun laws are almost a mirror of federal law, so turn gun crimes over to the feds where theres no parole at all.

Full article here:
http://wvgazette.com/Opinion/Op-EdCo...s/200804260209

The story the police officer told is music to the ears of those of us involved in the Hard Time for Gun Crime campaign:

When the officer was arresting a defendant for selling drugs to another undercover officer, he searched the defendant for weapons. As his training and experience taught him, he also searched the immediate area. The officer was surprised not to find any firearms; his experience was much like that of his fellow officers: Where there are drugs, there are likely to be guns.

So, just to be sure, he asked the defendant if he had any firearms or other weapons that the officer needed to be concerned about. The defendant's reply was becoming more and more common:

"Are you crazy?" came the reply. "You think I want to do fed time?!"

[ByAnyMeans]

I just left NYC to escape this lunacy and now it seems like it's following me here, sorry everyone.

[PAhunter]

Hard Time For Gun Crime has worked int other states, so put it to use here. Our gun laws are almost a mirror of federal law, so turn gun crimes over to the feds where theres no parole at all.

Full article here:
http://wvgazette.com/Opinion/Op-EdCo...s/200804260209

Now THAT'S what I'm Talking about. No new laws, get tough with the ones we have (sounds familiar).

If they really wanted to help they would tell the DA to stop the plea deals or better yet replace her with a Federal prosecutor.

Jack

[mjfletcher]

I just left NYC to escape this lunacy and now it seems like it's following me here, sorry everyone.

Oh, so its your fault? Shame on you, bad ex-NY'er, bad. You're grounded for one week with no range time. That'll teach you to bring such evil among us. *sage nod*

[mjfletcher]

Now THAT'S what I'm Talking about. No new laws, get tough with the ones we have (sounds familiar).

If they really wanted to help they would tell the DA to stop the plea deals or better yet replace her with a Federal prosecutor.

Jack

Plea deals serve their purpose, and generally they're not offered to the most serious offenders. Even when they are offered, its usually a case of "if we take them to trial for A, we'll have to fight like hell and its 50/50 whether we'll win, so lets offer a plea of B while making it seem like we can make A stick." If they're offering a plea, its a good bet that they don't have concrete evidence to make a more serious charge stick.

[Ten*K]

How about they legislate a mandate that the DA prosecute those who commit a crime against the current laws regarding gun sales. Mandatory hard time, maybe 5-15 years. No more pleas to a lesser and probation. I don't care how full the jails are let them be uncomfortable for awhile.

Jack

you mean like "repeatedly breaking State Law by violating 2A Rights?"