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Full Text of Law Reviews on 2nd Amendment
Information On Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission
ATF's Version of Pennsylvania's Firearms Laws
State Laws and Published Ordinances - Firearms 22nd Edition
Pennsylvania Electronic Bill Room
Library of Congress
Philadelphia Legislators Attack Gun Owners Once More.
On Tuesday, May 6th, Anti-Gun State Senators from the Philadelphia area attempted to hijack SB 1250 for their continuing agenda of destroying the rights of law abiding citizens in Pennsylvania to own firearms by offering 18 pages of gun control to this legislation.
These amendments ranged from controls on the sale of firearms to even the number and type of firearms that could even be possessed
While this legislation was tabled the amendments will continue to be saved for more action by those bent on excusing the actions of criminals and putting the blame on you and I. We will have these available for your review and comment.
Our thanks go out to Senator Regola and his Chief of Staff, Tom
Howa, for bringing this to our attention as quickly as possible.
Philadelphia Legislators and AG Candidate Attack Gun Owners AGAIN.
05/07/2008
Morganelli Pushes For Gun Regulation
By: Bradley Vasoli , The Bulletin
http://www.thebulletin.us/site/index.cfm?newsid=19667340&BRD=
2737&PAG=461&dept_id=576361&rfi=8
Philadelphia - Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli, a Democratic candidate for Pennsylvania attorney general, attacked his incumbent opponent yesterday as too lax on gun regulation.
Mr. Morganelli said that Republican Attorney General Tom Corbett should issue a regulatory order mandating gun owners who discover their weapons lost or stolen to
report them as such within 48 to 72 hours of the losses. He expressed displeasure that Mr. Corbett has not done so.
"One of the most serious public safety issues facing all of our communities, death by gunfire, has been all but ignored by the current attorney general," Mr. Morganelli said. "While the Pennsylvania legislature, Gov. Rendell, mayors of our communities and law enforcement organizations like the Pennsylvania State Police, the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and individual police departments and officers strive to address this issue, Attorney General Corbett sits on the sidelines conspicuously absent from the debate."
The shooting death of Philadelphia police Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski on Saturday has elicited increased calls for action from gun control advocates. Mr. Morganelli also pointed out that handgun murders involving children occur more often annually in Pennsylvania than in 44 other states and that 1,200 people die annually in Pennsylvania from gunfire.
The Northampton prosecutor said that the state attorney general does not need legislative approval to require Pennsylvania gun owners to report their missing weapons or to mandate gun merchants to inform their customers that they cannot permit their guns' use by anyone not legally authorized to possess a firearm. He believes a Pennsylvania statute stating the "attorney general may adopt, after public hearing, such rules and regulations as may be necessary for the enforcement and administration of the Unfair Trade Practices and Consumer Protection Law (UTPCPL)" gives Mr. Corbett the necessary leeway to impose the aforesaid regulations.
The attorney general disagrees with that interpretation of consumer protection law and expressed, through a spokesman, bewilderment that Mr. Morganelli could accuse him of neglecting gun violence.
"I guess John Morganelli must have been living in another state for the last 17 months," said attorney general spokesman Kevin Harley. He said Mr. Corbett has done more than any past Pennsylvania attorney general to reduce gun violence, citing his formation of the Philadelphia Gun Violence Task Force, which has aggressively pursued straw purchasers. It has resulted in 158 arrests, more than 200 weapon seizures and over 500 ongoing investigations.
Bradley Vasoli can be reached at bvasoli@thebulletin.us.
Pennsylvanians Turn Out For Gun Rights At Harrisburg Rally
by Dave Workman, Senior Editor
On the same day the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed on a 200-0 vote a comprehensive gun law package, pro-gun activists and lawmakers gathered in the Capitol Rotunda in Harrisburg to rally against attacks on their gun rights.
House Bill 1845 makes it a felony to have a firearm with an altered or erased serial number, adds state penalties for providing false information on a gun purchase form, makes it a crime to falsely report a gun stolen and extends the time from two to five years that charges can be filed against a gun buyer if a gun is traced back to a straw purchase.
Kim Stolfer, chairman of Firearms Owners Against Crime, told Gun Week that the package was the result of pro-gun lobbying to defeat a series of anti-gun amendments a week earlier. He supported the measure that was passed.
But Keystone State gunowners say enough is enough, and they promised to hold anti-gun legislators responsible in November if they push restrictive measures.
The Second Amendment Liberty rally saw conservative Alan Keyes deliver the keynote address, and Alan Gottlieb, founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, telling the crowd of more than 500 the importance of political activism and public scrutiny.
Quoted by The Harrisburg Patriot News, Keyes said the battle for gun rights requires “the courage, and the unwillingness to live in the shadow of fear.”
This was the third year for the capitol rally, and Stolfer said the strategy developed by Pennsylvania gun activists is to divide lawmakers up and send individual groups of constituent gunowners around to visit each representative individually. Gunowners, he said, are identifiable by the badges that they wear during their visits around the capital.
Other speakers included: state Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Cranberry Republican, who helped organize the event in partnership with firearms civil rights groups across the Keystone State. Metcalfe stressed the importance of educating his colleagues who had earlier voted in support of anti-gun amendments to HB-1845 that were defeated.
“A truly safe and liberty-advancing society is an armed society,” he observed.
Metcalfe was among some 40 state lawmakers from both parties who turned out for the rally and gathered on the Rotunda steps behind the microphone.
“As citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, we do not need the US Supreme Court, the United Nations or even the governor to reaffirm our God-given rights to defend our lives, loved ones and property, Metcalfe said.
Reminding the audience that Pennsylvania is the “birthplace of the Declaration of Independence,” Metcalfe noted that Pennsylvania’s state constitution contains explicit language on the right of private citizens to bear arms.
In addition, the crowd heard remarks from Jon Mirowitz of the Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania, Larry Pratt with Gun Owners of America, Melanie Sellinger, executive director of the Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs and Jeff Knox with the Firearms Coalition.
Keyes held the limelight, however, noting, “You cannot defend your life if you give up the means of that defense. If it is your right to stand in defense of your family and your home, then you have the right and means to enable you to fulfill that obligation.”
Gottlieb quipped to Gun Week that Keyes is “a tough act to follow.”
Defeating amendments to HB-1845 a week before the rally added momentum to the gathering. One of those amendments would have penalized gunowners for not promptly reporting a stolen firearm to the police. GOA’s Pratt told the audience that “the victim (of a theft) should not get punished.”
Perhaps what made anti-gunners bristle the most, though, was that Washington, PA, resident Daniel Plovic won a drawing for a new Smith & Wesson semi-automatic pistol at the conclusion of the event.
The Pittsburgh Tribune Review quoted Joe Grace, executive director of CeaseFirePa, asserting that the drawing “sent the wrong message.” The New GUN WEEK, May 1, 2008
Philadelphia Council and Mayor Pass and Sign Into Law Illegal Gun Control Bills
(April 10th) Just moments ago at 3PM Philadelphia Mayor Nutter signed into law five ordinances passed by City Council in ‘violation’ of Pennsylvania law. These measures cover the following concepts:
1. limit handgun purchases to one a month
2. require lost or stolen firearms to be reported to police within 24 hours
3. forbid individuals under protection from abuse orders from possessing guns if ordered by the court
4. allow removal of firearms from "persons posing a risk of imminent personal injury" to themselves or others, as determined by a judge
5. outlaw the possession and sale certain assault weapons.
It is important to note that violations of these are but summary offenses however the true intent is to try to push the Courts to grant the power that the Legislature will not—Local Control of Gun Laws.
The real issue here is that, again, the Mayor and City Council are COMMITTING criminal acts that carry a punishment of Misdemeanor 1 level of punishment. This is a terrible example to be setting for their constituents and those they want to follow the law now. Instead of going to court over this the first action should see them dragged out of city hall in handcuffs!!
Once again it is going to be up to the gun owners of PA to step forward and fight this evil or it will spread like cancer throughout our communities.
Upcoming Events
July 19, 2008
Important Information
Legislative Committee Forum
- Have YOU or SOMEONE you know had Problems with the PA Instant Check System?
- Have YOU or SOMEONE you know had Problems with GETTING a Concealed Weapons Permit or RENEWING the one you already have?
Help US help YOU and YOUR fellow gun owners by clicking this link:
ACSL Problem Reporting & Documentation Procedure
(Your information will be handled in complete compliance with the choices you make at this page)
Children Act Fast . . . And So Do Poisons
Contact Information: Donna Heron 215-814-5113 / heron.donna@epa.gov
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency advises parents and
caregivers to keep potentially harmful products locked up and in
a high cabinet out of the reach of children. Poison Prevention
Month is observed each March to
increase awareness of the danger to children of accidental
poisoning from pesticides and household products.
U.S. poison control centers receive a call every 15 seconds
about an accidental poisoning. The National Safety Council
records show that more than 50 percent of the nearly 2.5 million
poisoning incidents each year involve children under six years
of age. Most are due to children swallowing common household
items like prescription and over-the-counter medications,
vitamins, cosmetics, personal care and cleaning products.
Poisonings also involve house plants, tobacco products and
alcohol.
To reduce the number of unintentional poisoning deaths and
injuries, EPA recommends that parents keep items in their
original containers, leave the original labels on the products,
and read labels before use. Bathrooms and kitchens are the areas
in the home most likely to have improperly stored hazards.
Whenever possible, purchase products with child-resistant safety
packaging and keep all household cleaning products and medicines
locked up, out of sight and out of reach of young children.
Poisonings can occur when adults are distracted for just a few
moments by the telephone, the doorbell or other household
events, which is why locking up potential hazards is so
important.
To highlight National Poison Prevention Month, EPA has launched
a poison-prevention segment on Green Scene, EPA's new series of
environmental videos. During an interview on Green Scene,
Assistant Administrator Jim Gulliford, of the Office of
Prevention Pesticides and Toxic Substances, discusses how to
protect your children from toxic substances around the home and
how to respond in case of accidental poisoning.
These simple steps can help you save children from environmental
hazards around the home
Always store pesticides, household chemicals/cleaners,
medications, vitamins, personal care items, including chlorine
bleach, out of the children’s reach – preferably in a locked
cabinet.
Read the label first. Pesticide products, household cleaning
products, and pet products can be dangerous.
Before applying pesticides or other household chemicals, remove
children and their toys, as well as pets, from the area. Keep
children and pets away until the pesticide has dried or as long
as is recommended on the label.
If your use of pesticide or other household chemicals is
interrupted (perhaps by a phone call), properly reclose the
container and remove it from children’s reach. Always use
household products in child-resistant packaging.
Never transfer pesticides or other household chemicals to
containers that a children may associate with food or drink
(like soda bottles), and never place rodent or insect baits
where small children can get to them.
When applying insect repellents to children, read all directions
first. Do not apply over cuts, wounds, or irritated skin, do not
apply to eyes, mouth, hands or directly on the face, and use
just enough to cover exposed skin or clothing but do not use
under clothing.
Act Fast! If you think someone has been poisoned act fast. Don’t
wait to see what happens, call the National Poison Control
Center RIGHT AWAY at 1-800-222-1222.
Parents and community organizations can obtain additional
prevention materials, including the “Ten Tips to Protect
Children from Pesticide and Lead Poisonings” and “Poison
Prevention: Read the Label First Community Action Kit” brochures
by calling EPA's Environmental Publications line at
1-800-490-9198.
Source: U.S. EPA
Water Saving Tips
There are a number of ways to save water, and they all start with you.
When washing dishes by hand, don't let the water run while rinsing. Fill one sink with wash water and the other with rinse water.
Check your sprinkler system frequently and adjust sprinklers so only your lawn is watered and not the house, sidewalk, or street.
Run your washing machine and dishwasher only when they are full and you could save 1000 gallons a month.
Avoid planting turf in areas that are hard to water such as steep inclines and isolated strips along sidewalks and driveways.
Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
Use the garbage disposal sparingly. Compost instead and save gallons every time.
Plant during the spring or fall when the watering requirements are lower.
Keep a pitcher of water in the refrigerator instead of running the tap for cold drinks, so that every drop goes down you not the drain.
Check your water meter and bill to track your water usage.
Minimize evaporation by watering during the early morning hours, when temperatures are cooler and winds are lighter.
Wash your produce in the sink or a pan that is partially filled with water instead of running water from the tap.
Use a layer of organic mulch around plants to reduce evaporation and save hundreds of gallons of water a year.
Use a broom instead of a hose to clean your driveway or sidewalk and save 80 gallons of water every time.