HB 1043 - Establishing the Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking

[Brick]

Text currently unavailable (But I can't wait to see what gems this offers!)

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...type=B&bn=1043

Regular Session 2009-2010
House Bill 1043

Short Title: An Act establishing the Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking within the Office of Attorney General; providing for its powers and duties; and requiring an annual report to the General Assembly.
Prime Sponsor: Representative THOMAS

[gnbrotz]

Interesting, since there is no such thing as an "illegal firearm" in Pa. - only illegal acts, committed by living and breathing individuals, not inanimate objects.

[Brick]

I think they might be more interested in "studying" the illegal trafficking of firearms.

[mikepro8]

YAY!

Another tax payer funded bloated useless government agency! See!?!?!? That's change, right???

[Philadelphia]

Text currently unavailable (But I can't wait to see what gems this offers!)

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/...type=B&bn=1043

Regular Session 2009-2010
House Bill 1043

Short Title: An Act establishing the Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking within the Office of Attorney General; providing for its powers and duties; and requiring an annual report to the General Assembly.
Prime Sponsor: Representative THOMAS

Does the PSP know about this? If this goes anywhere, I can't wait to see these fireworks.

[Brick]

The Text is now available:

PRINTER'S NO. 1214
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL No. 1043 Session of 2009

INTRODUCED BY THOMAS, JOSEPHS, M. O'BRIEN, YOUNGBLOOD AND PAYTON, MARCH 23, 2009

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 23, 2009

AN ACT

Establishing the Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking within the Office of Attorney General; providing for its powers and duties; and requiring an annual report to the General Assembly.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Short title.
This act shall be known and may be cited as the Illegal Firearms Trafficking Act.
Section 2. Definitions.
The following words and phrases when used in this act shall have the meanings given to them in this section unless the context clearly indicates otherwise:
"Bureau." The Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking within the Office of Attorney General.
"State agency." An administrative department, board or commission and an independent administrative department, board or commission of the executive branch.
Section 3. Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking.
(a) Establishment.--There is hereby established in the Office of Attorney General a bureau to be known as the Bureau of Illegal Firearms Trafficking. The bureau shall be under the direction of the Attorney General or his designee.
(b) Duties.--The bureau shall:
(1) Investigate potential violations of 18 Pa.C.S. (relating to crimes and offenses) relating to illegal firearms trafficking.
(2) Bring prosecutions relating to illegal firearms trafficking.
(c) Duties of Attorney General.--The Attorney General or his designee shall:
(1) Receive complaints from individuals concerning illegal firearms trafficking.
(2) Investigate and assist in county prosecutions relating to illegal firearms trafficking and, as necessary, coordinate with Federal, State and local law enforcement agencies in the investigation of similar crimes.
Section 4. Report to General Assembly.
Commencing in 2010, the Attorney General or his designee shall report to the General Assembly on an annual basis, on or before January 31, detailing the activities engaged in by the bureau under this act.
Section 5. Commencement of activities.
The bureau shall commence its duties under this act no later than 90 days after the effective date of this section.
Section 6. Effective date.
This act shall take effect immediately.

Looks like donkey dust to me! I thought it was the job of the local Police Departments to investigate crimes and local District Attorneys to prosecute crimes. I can think of no reason why they should need supervision (assistance) from the Atty Gen'ls office to enforce the laws. Illegal trafficiking in firearms (straw purchases, black market distribution etc) are also Federal crimes, but I see no requirement for co-operation with Fed. authority.

[ChamberedRound]

Interesting, since there is no such thing as an "illegal firearm" in Pa. - only illegal acts, committed by living and breathing individuals, not inanimate objects.

To be fair, the act entails setting up a bureau not of "Illegal Firearms", but "Illegal Firearms Trafficking". Illegally selling firearms is an act committed by living and breathing individuals.

[preaching to the choir]
With that said, this bill is horse-s*!%. There's no need to set up another bureaucracy to duplicate responsibilities already performed by the state and local police. There's enough laws on the books, let's start enforcing them and we wouldn't need this. This would essentially be a PA-specific ATF, and between the actual ATF (which is already horse-s*!%) and the state and local police, why do we need ANOTHER law enforcement agency? Somebody needs to tell these guys they should be concentrating on finding ways to spend LESS tax dollars, not MORE.
[/preaching to the choir]

[gnbrotz]

To be fair, the act entails setting up a bureau not of "Illegal Firearms", but "Illegal Firearms Trafficking". Illegally selling firearms is an act committed by living and breathing individuals.

Understood, but I'll bet you a nickel that any media coverage will note the "trafficking of illegal firearms" rather than the "illegal trafficking of firearms", and the majority of the public is too stupid to know the difference. Just one more way that the masses will be confused/misled.

[ChamberedRound]

Understood, but I'll bet you a nickel that any media coverage will note the "trafficking of illegal firearms" rather than the "illegal trafficking of firearms", and the majority of the public is too stupid to know the difference. Just one more way that the masses will be confused/misled.

Definitely won't argue with that. I also believe that once such an bureau is created, AWBs and the like won't be far behind as such laws would further justify their existence.

[phillyd2]

Definitely won't argue with that. I also believe that once such an bureau is created, AWBs and the like won't be far behind as such laws would further justify their existence.

Not sure how you get to a AWB from this. But I do see how they may get to registration by claiming it would be much easier to determine which gun is legal and which is not.