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Emergency Alert for PA residents - your presence needed in Harrisburg at 11 AM on Tuesday 20 NOV!

Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
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[align=center]* * * EMERGENCY ACTION ALERT * * *[/align]
Governor Rendell plans to take an unprecedented step and personally attend Tuesday’s PA House Judiciary Committee meeting to attack gun owners and our constitutional freedoms by forcing bad legislation (HB 18, HB 22, and HB 29) out of committee. At the request of Governor Ed Rendell (D), the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee has tentatively scheduled a meeting for Tuesday, November 20 at 11:00am, to vote on several anti-gun measures. This extraordinary Judiciary Committee meeting has been moved to a much larger room: Room 140 Main Capitol.

The package of bills the Governor is demanding action on includes one-gun-a-month, a requirement for individuals to report lost or stolen firearms, and legislation that would overturn Pennsylvania’s current Firearms Preemption Law (see descriptions below).



An appearance by a sitting governor before a legislative committee is so rare that some of the longest serving legislators and staff members could not remember another such time.



Rendell’s Gun Statement’s:



''Don't tell me that enforcement is the root of the problem,'' he growled. ''That's just propaganda that's untrue. Our prisons are bulging.'' ([size=November 17, 2007-Morning Call][/size]) ***REALLY GOVERNOR THEN HOW COME THOSE PROSECUTED FORILLEGALTRANSFERS OF FIREARMS GET PROBATION 70% OF THE TIME???



“Don’t tell me [spikes in violent crime in some cities] is because our justice system is weak,” Rendell said, gritting his teeth and pounding the podium as he pointed to the steady growth in state prison populations. “It’s because there are too many guns out there, and they are getting in the hands of the wrong people.

“We have a problem, and we better take care of it.” ([size=November 17, 2007-Patriot News][/size])



As you can see from the above, Governor Rendell has declared war on PA gun owners!


Please Act NOW!!! It is imperative that you contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee NO LATER THAN 10:00AM tomorrow morning encourage them to OPPOSE this package of anti-gun bills -- HB 22, HB 18 and HB 61!



The Judiciary Committee Votes are scheduled Tuesday November 20 at 1000 AM. We have placed the Phone numbers, fax numbers and E-Mail addresses for the entire membership of the House Judiciary Committee at the end of this message. ***PLEASE USE THEM!



**For more in-depth information on these issues please go to this link – www.acslpa.org



We thank you for your consideration of this alert!!



[size=[url=mailto:activist@fyi.net]Kim Stolfer[/url] Harry Schneider][/size][size=
Legislative Committee, Chairman Legislative Committee, Chairman
Allegheny County Sportsmen's League Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Association][/size]

E-Mail -- [size=[url=mailto:activist@fyi.net]activist@fyi.net[/url] psa@pagunlaws.com][/size]

Website -- www.acslpa.org



Legislation Description:



http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2007&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0018&pn=0043]House Bill 18[/url], sponsored by State Representative Dwight Evans (D-Philadelphia). State preemption law (Title 18, section 6120) regulating firearms was enacted by the legislature to avoid the possibility of thousands of separate firearm laws across the Commonwealth. Without preemption there would be a myriad of local firearms laws making compliance impossible for law abiding gun owners. In addition, this proposed legislation may also be in conflict with Article 1, Section 21 of the Constitution of Pennsylvania which states "The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned."

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house_bio.cfm?districtnumber=201]House Bill 22[/url], "one-gun-a-month" legislation, sponsored by State Representative John Myers (D-Philadelphia), will prohibit law-abiding citizens from purchasing more than one handgun at a time, and impose a 30-day waiting period between single handgun purchases.

http://www.legis.state.pa.us/CFDOCS/Legis/PN/Public/btCheck.cfm?txtType=HTM&sessYr=2007&sessInd=0&billBody=H&billTyp=B&billNbr=0029&pn=0054]House Bill 29[/url], "Lost or Stolen Firearms” legislation, sponsored by State Representative Jewell Williams (D-Philadelphia), would make it a crime to fail to report the loss or theft of a firearm to police within 24 hours of discovering the firearm missing. This proposal would criminalize victims of crime and is ineffective. In addition remedies already exist in PA law, under the negligence statutes (Title 18, sections 302-306), that provide for enforcement in these areas. There is NO reason to for this legislation UNLESS you want to expand the intrusion of government into the lives of otherwise law abiding citizens who are exercising their rights.



**For more in-depth information on these issues please go to this link – www.acslpa.org



[size=[url=mailto:activist@fyi.net]Kim Stolfer[/url] Harry Schneider][/size][size=
Legislative Committee, Chairman Legislative Committee, Chairman
Allegheny County Sportsmen's League Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Association][/size]

E-Mail -- [size=[url=mailto:activist@fyi.net]activist@fyi.net[/url] psa@pagunlaws.com][/size]

Website -- www.acslpa.org


The following organizations are on record as opposing this legislation:


[size=Allegheny County Sportsmen's League (ACSL),
Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs (PFSC),
Pennsylvania Sportsmen's Association (PSA),
National Rifle Association (NRA),
Gun Owners of America (GOA),
Second Amendment Sisters (SAS),
Pennsylvania Rifle and Pistol Association (PR&PA),
Pennsylvania Gun Collectors Association (PGCA)
Lehigh Valley Firearms Coalition,
Philadelphia Federation of Sportsmen's Club,
Pennsylvania Gun Owners Association (PGOA)
Unified Sportsmen of Pennsylvania (Unified)
National Association of Firearms Retailers (NAFR),
Pennsylvania State Fish & Game Protective Association,
The Pink Pistols
OpenCarry.org
Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association (PAFOA)
National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSA)
Western Pennsylvania 30 Caliber League, Inc ][/size]

[size=Citizen’s Committee for the Right to Keep and Bear Arms (CCRKBA)
Firearms Owners Against Crime (FOAC) the largest gun owners Political Action Committee (PAC) in Pennsylvania will record any support for any of this legislation, now or in the future, as an anti-gun vote. ][/size]




It is imperative that you contact the following members of the House Judiciary Committee TODAY. PLEASE focus your efforts on the Committee Leaders then the ‘Uncommitted Group’ then the listed ‘Pro-2[suP]nd[/suP] Amendment’ group.



**Representatives listed below are Committee Leadership

State Representative Thomas R. Caltagirone (D-127), Majority Chairman
106 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202127
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2127
(717) 787-3525
Fax: (717) 772-5401
tcaltagi@pahouse.net

State Representative Ron Marsico (R-105), Minority Chairman
218 Ryan Office Building
PO Box 202105
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2105
(717) 783-2014
Fax: (717) 705-2010
rmarsico@pahousegop.com


State Representative Daylin Leach (D-149), Secretary
109A East Wing
PO Box 202149
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2149
(717) 783-9114
Fax: (717) 787-0861
dleach@pahouse.net




**Representatives listed below are Pro 2[suP]nd[/suP] Amendment

State Representative Deberah Kula (D-52)
104A East Wing
PO Box 202052
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2052
(717) 772-1858
Fax: (717) 780-4784
dkula@pahouse.net

State Representative Joseph A. Petrarca (D-55)
220 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202055
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2055
(717) 787-5142
Fax: (717) 705-2014
jpetrarc@pahouse.net

State Representative Jesse White (D-46)
102B East Wing
PO Box 202046
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2046
(717) 783-6437
jwhite@pahouse.net

State Representative Tom C. Creighton (R-37)
400 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202037
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2037
(717) 772-5290
Fax: (717) 783-1904
tcreight@pahousegop.com

State Representative Craig A. Dally (R-138)
211 Ryan Office Building
PO Box 202138
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2138
(717) 783-8573
Fax: (717) 705-1849
cdally@pahousegop.com

State Representative John R. Evans (R-5)
B12 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202005
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2005
(717) 772-9940
Fax: (717) 772-7099
jevans@pahousegop.com

State Representative Will Gabig (R-199)
410 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202199
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2199
(717) 772-2280
Fax: (717) 705-2012
wgabig@pahousegop.com

State Representative Glen R. Grell (R-87)
404 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202087
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2087
(717) 783-2063
Fax: (717) 772-8418
ggrell@pahousegop.com

State Representative Kate Harper (R-61)
149A East Wing
PO Box 202061
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2061
(717) 787-2801
Fax: (717) 787-2022
kharper@pahousegop.com

State Representative Beverly Mackereth (R-196)
7 East Wing
PO Box 202196
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2196
(717) 783-2655
Fax: (717) 772-9869
bmackere@pahousegop.com

State Representative Todd Rock (R-90)
162A East Wing
PO Box 202090
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2090
(717) 783-5218
Fax: (717) 260-6505
trock@pahousegop.com

State Representative Katie True (R-41)
143A East Wing
PO Box 202041
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2041
(717) 705-7161
Fax: (717) 705-1946
ktrue@pahousegop.com



State Representative Tina Pickett (R-110)
155A East Wing
PO Box 202110
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2110
(717) 783-8238
Fax: (717) 705-1949
tpickett@pahousegop.com



**Representatives listed below are Uncommitted on these issues

State Representative John E. Pallone (D-54)
325 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202054
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2054
(717) 783-1819
Fax: (717) 772-9984
jpallone@pahouse.net

State Representative Don Walko (D-20)
121 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202020
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2020
(717) 787-5470
Fax: (717) 783-0407
dwalko@pahouse.net

State Representative Sean M. Ramaley (D-16)
323 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202016
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2016
(717) 787-4444
sramaley@pahouse.net

State Representative Carl W. Mantz (R-187)
53B East Wing
PO Box 202187
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2187
(717) 787-3017
Fax: (717) 772-9869
cmantz@pahousegop.com

**Representatives listed below are dedicated Anti 2[suP]nd[/suP] Amendment Fanatics

State Representative Kathy Manderino (D-194)
125 East Wing
PO Box 202194
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2194
(717) 787-1254
Fax: (717) 780-4770
kmanderi@pahouse.net

State Representative Lisa Bennington (D-21)
6A East Wing
PO Box 202021
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2021
(717) 705-7011
Fax: (717) 780-4761
lbenning@pahouse.net

State Representative Dan Frankel (D-23)
217 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202023
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2023
(717) 705-1875
Fax: (717) 705-2034
dfrankel@pahouse.net

State Representative Harold James (D-186)
317 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202186
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2186
(717) 787-9477
Fax: (717) 787-7517
hjames@pahouse.net

State Representative Greg Vitali (D-16)
103B East Wing
PO Box 202166
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2166
(717) 787-7647
Fax: (717) 705-2089
gvitali@pahouse.net

State Representative Jewell Williams (D-197)
101 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202197
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2197
(717) 772-2004
Fax: (717) 787-2284
jwilliam@pahouse.net

State Representative Bernie O'Neill (R-29)
B13 Main Capitol Building
PO Box 202029
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2029
(717) 705-7170
Fax: (717) 783-3278
boneill@pahousegop.com

State Representative Chelsa Wagner (D-22)
109 Irvis Office Building
PO Box 202022
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2022
(717) 783-1582
Fax: (717) 780-4755
cwagner@pahouse.net

State Representative Bryan R. Lentz (D-161)
106B East Wing
PO Box 202161
Harrisburg, PA 17120-2161
(717) 787-8574
Fax: (717) 780-4777
blentz@pahouse.net


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Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
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Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
imported post

OpenCarry.org in the news opposing the triumverate of gun bills!

--

http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07324/835296-85.stm

http://tinyurl.com/3caffe

Rendell to plead case for four gun control bills
Governor's lobbying before House panel today called historic
Tuesday, November 20, 2007
By Tom Barnes, Post-Gazette Harrisburg Bureau

HARRISBURG -- Caught in a crossfire between gun owners and gun control
advocates, including Gov. Ed Rendell, the House Judiciary Committee
will vote today on four major bills aimed at reducing the level of
handgun violence in cities and towns across Pennsylvania.

Mr. Rendell, in what is being described as a virtually unprecedented
step, will speak to the Judiciary Committee this morning and urge
legislators to approve the four gun-control measures.

"This is going to be historic," said Rep. Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks,
committee chairman. "In my 31 years in the House I've never known of a
governor testifying before a House committee before they voted."

House Bill 22 would limit a person to buying just one handgun a month,
or 12 per year, a limit that many gun owners and collectors object to;
House Bill 29 would force gun owners to report missing or stolen
firearms to police within 24 hours, or face criminal penalties; House
Bill 18 would give towns the right to enact tougher gun control laws
than the Legislature enacts, something that gun owners say would
create an unenforceable "patchwork" of laws across the state; and
House Bill 2060 would give an automatic 20-year jail sentence to
anyone convicted of shooting at a police officer, even if the shooter
missed his target.

Mr. Rendell, a former mayor of Philadelphia, and other city officials
are upset because a long-time Philadelphia police officer was recently
shot and killed in the line of duty. They say more needs to be done to
get guns out of the hands of criminals.

Mr. Caltagirone said he can't predict whether the first three bills
will get out of committee but he's certain that legislators will send
the one about shooting at police to the full House.

Yesterday, legislators got an earful from both sides of the gun
control issue. A group called CeaseFire PA released a new poll of 600
Pennsylvania voters that showed strong support for stricter laws
regarding handgun safety.

The bill to require gun owners to report lost or stolen handguns to
police was "strongly supported" by 89 percent of those surveyed and
got 96 percent in "total support," with only 3 percent opposed. The
CeaseFire poll, done by a firm called Greenberg Quinlan Rosner
Research, surveyed 100 registered voters in six different counties
from Nov. 2-4.

In Philadelphia, murders have been on the rise in recent years. Four
people died in gun violence over the weekend, putting the total for
the year at more than 300. During a visit to Pittsburgh yesterday, the
governor said enacting the gun control bills is "an uphill fight, but
the polls are overwhelming" in support.

"It's time the Legislature show a little backbone and pass gun
legislation that doesn't affect the lives of ordinary people," he
said.

The bill to limit handgun purchases to one per month got somewhat less
support. Fifty-four percent of the people said they "strongly support"
such a bill, with total support at 70 percent. There were 26 percent
opposed to that idea.

"Good Lord," Mr. Rendell said, "under one gun a month, you as an
ordinary citizen can buy 12 a year. It you're married you can buy 24 a
year. Who would need more handguns?" And it doesn't affect the
purchase of rifles, he added.

Phil Goldsmith, president of CeaseFire PA, said the counties surveyed
were Erie, Lancaster, Montgomery, Berks, Northampton and Lehigh. He
said the pollsters intentionally avoided big cities such as
Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, where gun violence is always a problem
and large majorities want stricter measures taken by the Legislature
to get guns off the streets.

Also participating in a telephone interview about the poll were
several mayors, including John Brenner of York, Ed Pawlowski of
Allentown and John Callahan of Bethlehem.

"The people are way ahead of the politicians," said the mayor of York,
which had 15 murders in 2005 and 10 so far this year. "This gun issue
impacts our local communities. None of these bills will have one ounce
of impact on a responsible sportsman."

But Mike Stollenwerk and John Pierce, co-founders of a gun owners
group called OpenCarry.org, which claims to have 3,230 members,
disagreed with the governor and the mayors. In an e-mail yesterday,
they urged legislators to defeat what they called "the gun control
bill triumvirate," bills 18, 22 and 29.
They didn't address the bill
about 20 years in jail for shooting at police officers.

House Bill 18, giving local towns the power to enact their own gun
laws, would "provide some politically motivated localities the carte
blanche they seek to target, profile, harass and criminally prosecute
peaceful gun owners," OpenCarry.org said.

It complimented Ohio legislators for getting rid of a law that gave
individual towns the ability to enact their own gun laws. Doing so,
they said, "pre-empted the crazy patchwork of local gun control that
was routinely putting law-abiding peaceful citizens through a
Kafkaesque criminal procedure nightmare."

They criticized the Pennsylvania committee for "inviting anti-gun Gov.
Rendell to intrude upon policy-making in the Capitol." As for the
"Rube Goldberg gun-rationing scheme" to limit purchases to one per
month, they said, "What's next -- letter to the editor rationing?"

Only three states -- California, Maryland and Virginia -- have such a
limit, they said, adding that those states don't have the Pennsylvania
constitutional provision that "citizens' right to bear arms in defense
of themselves shall not be questioned."

Another spokesman for gun owners, Kim Stolfer of the Allegheny County
Sportsmen's League, said the misguided gun proposals are "trying to
make honest gun owners scapegoats."

He said that Baltimore now limits gun sales to one per month "and
their per capita gun-violence rate is higher than Philadelphia's.
South Carolina had such a limit but repealed it because it didn't
work. Criminals only need one gun a month to break the law."

Staff Writer Mark Belko contributed. Harrisburg Bureau Chief Tom
Barnes can be reached at tbarnes@post-gazette.com or 717-787-4254.
 

imperialism2024

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
3,047
Location
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, USA
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I'll admit that I don't have a problem with the idea of limiting a person to purchasing one gun per month because, as the gun control advocates explain it, it's kind of ridiculous to need to buy more than that. HOWEVER, the objection I have is that there is no way to achieve that end effect without tracking gun sales, and I'm strictly against any form of gun registration. Nonetheless, no one but a few of us liberty-minded people will think about the gun tracking consequences of this law.

Oh, and there's also that "shall not be infringed" thing.


ETA: But once again, is OC allowed in the capitol building? My instinct is think that there is a ban on carrying guns there, but I haven't come across any laws that say that.
 

Mike

Site Co-Founder
Joined
May 13, 2006
Messages
8,706
Location
Fairfax County, Virginia, USA
imported post

imperialism2024 wrote:
But once again, is OC allowed in the capitol building? My instinct is think that there is a ban on carrying guns there, but I haven't come across any laws that say that.

No - the whole building complex is covered by the courthouse ban, via the connecting corriders.

we need to get the Supreme Court a new home so we can enter the peoples' house with the peoples' arms.
 

imperialism2024

Regular Member
Joined
Jun 7, 2007
Messages
3,047
Location
Catasauqua, Pennsylvania, USA
imported post

WVCDL wrote:
Congratulations on a partial victory today (action deferred on mandatory lost/stolen gun reporting).
His link wrote:

Pennsylvania has some of the country's loosest gun laws and would have vaulted to the forefront of gun-control states if the measures had passed. The state does not require a license for a handgun, allows gun owners to carry concealed weapons, and places no limits on the ownership of assault weapons such as AK47s.

Loosest gun laws? :celebrate


I'd also like the story's other to tell me where I can legally buy an AK-47 in this state with "no limits".
 
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