3 new PA gun laws, MAYBE

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geronimo509

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http://www.philly.com/philly/news/l..._Phila__lawmakers_tout_gun-control_bills.html

Three gun-control bills now in the Pennsylvania legislature would close loopholes surrounding the illegal purchase, sale, and possession of firearms.

They were described yesterday at a news conference at Philadelphia Police Headquarters by State Sen. Larry Farnese (D., Phila.), who introduced the legislation in February. He was joined by District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham, Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross, State Sen. LeAnna Washington (D., Phila.-Montgomery), and State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson (D., Phila.).

The first bill would make it illegal for anyone charged with a felony, but not yet convicted, to buy, transfer, sell, or possess a firearm.

The second would prohibit anyone convicted of a felony drug offense as a juvenile from buying or owning a gun as an adult.

The third bill would require a mandatory one-year sentence for carrying a gun without a license. It was first introduced in 2007, but failed to move out of committee.

Farnese's announcement came less than a year after the National Rifle Association took City Council members to court for their attempt at gun-control legislation. Farnese and his supporters say they hope for the NRA's cooperation on the state level.

The proposed legislation "is going after illegal guns," Farnese said. "We are not going to be disturbing the rights of legal gun owners."

Abraham said she believed that only the third bill, requiring mandatory sentencing, would prove problematic with advocates of gun-owners' rights. Representatives of the District Attorney's Gun Violence Task Force worked with Farnese to develop the legislation.

At the news conference, 12 illegal firearms seized during police raids during the last year lay on a table behind the speakers. Ross held up one - a three-foot-long SKS semiautomatic rifle - to illustrate the need for tighter rules.

"There is no reason for anybody in the world to be carrying that around," he said.

Still, all of the politicians present acknowledged the difficulty they were likely to face in getting support from legislators outside Philadelphia.

Farnese said he took hope from the fact that two of the bills' co-sponsors were Democrats from other regions: Sen. Michael O'Pake of Reading and Sen. Wayne Fontana of Pittsburgh. The bills are also co-sponsored by Washington and Sen. Vincent Hughes, who also represents part of Philadelphia.
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I hope this isn't old news, but this doesn't sound so bad.

1st, once you get charged with a felony, you can't buy a gun while your out on bail. If you are found not guilty or anything along those lines, that should go away and you should have your rights back (thats how I took it, I could be wrong)

2nd, Felony drug offense as a minor. That's pretty serious because my brother got caught at 17 with some marijuana and it was only a misdemeanor. ( I would bet that this is for dealing or something along those lines, again i could be wrong)

3rd, If you get caught carrying without a license, it's a 1 year min sentence. (I take that as you don't have a license! NOT that you accidentally left your CCW permit at home, or just lost your wallet. And can show proof that you have one, and if you can then no harm, no foul. Once more, I could be wrong)

If these Bills are the way I think they are, then I do not think that is a bad thing. If they are not as I take them, then it could be bad.
The proposed legislation "is going after illegal guns," Farnese said. "We are not going to be disturbing the rights of legal gun owners."
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If you are a legal gun owner and not a felon or drug dealer then I do NOT see a big deal with these new laws.

Hope I do not get flamed, but I would like to know what you all think about this. Also, am I interpreting these things correctly?
 
I see this as a slow southern crock pot cooking.

Make a law advance more proactively until no one can enter a gun store without being scanned in the brain.

I am particularly adverse to certain comments made as reported by the article. Makes for good media soundbytes for teasers going to commerical break downtown philly but wont fly here in the south.
 
the laws sound good, but once I got to the part about the SKS and the phrase "Nobody in the world needs this thing"...well, that shows you where they're hearts are really at.
 
The first bill would make it illegal for anyone charged with a felony, but not yet convicted, to buy, transfer, sell, or possess a firearm.
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So, in summary, if a person who owns firearms legally is charged with a felony for any reason (and presumed innocent until proven guilty), he is already guilty of possessing firearms he already owns, simply by virtue of being charged.

How could such a thing possibly pass legal muster?
And can show proof that you have one, and if you can then no harm, no foul.
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And what about a person from another state who mistakenly thought that PA has reciprocity when it does not? Or someone who moves in from out of state and makes a mistake with regard to the law? Do these people deserve to spend a mandatory year in prison?

Not even New Jersey has a mandatory minimum for the illegal carrying of pistols. I would do some very careful and thoughtful research on this before supporting it. On its face, it sounds extremely onerous.
 
If you didnt want to get flamed you shouldnt have posted your opinion that these bills are not a bad thing.
Consider yourself flamed.:fire:
 
Number one REALLY scares me. We are now at a point where we will strip people of their rights because the are only accused of a crime. See where this is headed.
 
The liberal scum and their mob assisting buddy Rendel are after guns, taking advantage of a situation all over the news about some cops being shot by a young veteren with an AK to advance their gun control bills, now Rendel is calling the dems who dont want to support this cowards, and saying "if you dont want to do your job and vote for strict gun control then step down and let someone else do it for you".
I cant wait until hes gone from office.
 
For my money its a real crock to hang a 17 year old with a lifetime gunowner prohibition over a drug charge.
 
I'm going to say the same thing that I said on PAFOA. And that is, "First of all, every one is interpreting this differently than I was last night. After reading your posts I know have to agree with you."

I admit that I now think this can, could, is, was and always be a bad thing. I must have read it wrong or just been thinking something different, I don't know what was wrong with me last night.
 
Number 1 is the worst one, by far.

Being accused of a crime should have no legal consequences for a gun owner. Conviction is another story, but accusation is absolutely crossing the line and is very scary stuff.

This law (as all laws about everything, including ones not related to firearms) should be viewed not through the lense of its intended use, but through the lense of how it could be abused. Very, very scary.

Rmeju
 
It's already illegal to BUY a firearm if you're under indictment for a felony. That's a question asked on the ATF form when they do the background check. All this does is extend it. If our courts were even moderately fast, I'd say it would be an entirely good thing. Unfortunately, it usually takes around 6 months before a trial begins after indictment, and this person is stripped of their protection in the mean time.

My opinion? It should be judge's discretion or should apply only to violent felonies. Granted, it's not overly BAD, either, as a lot of people tend to panic when presented with a potentially life-altering event (felony charge) and may engage in irrational behavior. I kind of have to agree with this one as being better than nothing as long as it's not abused. How would it be abused? Prosecutors charging people with felonies to take their guns, knowing full well it won't stick, then dropping or reducing the charges.
 
wow... i cant say i agree with any of these... all are way too controling, not to mention the legal issues already mentioned
 
it's not overly BAD, either, as a lot of people tend to panic when presented with a potentially life-altering event (felony charge) and may engage in irrational behavior. I kind of have to agree with this one
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Well, there are lots of other common "life-altering events" that we all generally eventually face that can ALSO induce "irrational behavior":

Death of a parent
Going through a divorce
Losing a job
Diagnosed with a bad illness

Would you say that anyone going through any of those "life-altering events" should also lose the right to own a firearm?
 
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