City Council approves stolen gun ordinance
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Pittsburgh City Council virtually assured yesterday that the city will follow Philadelphia in requiring gun owners to tell police when their firearms are lost or stolen.
Council members voted 6-1 for an ordinance that would give gun owners 24 hours to call police after they notice that a firearm is missing. It would subject them to a $500 fine if they don't report such a loss, and a $1,000 fine plus possible prison time for a second such failure.
[center]Pennsylvania: Pittsburgh City Council Gives Final Approval to Illegal Gun Control Ordinance[/center]
Wednesday, December 03, 2008
[center]Please Contact Mayor Luke Ravenstahl Immediately![/center]
Earlier this week, the Pittsburgh City Council took a final vote and passed an ordinance that would require gun owners to report the loss or theft of firearm within a 72-hour period or face fines and possible imprisonment. The measure will now go to the Mayor for his signature or veto.
This ordinance violates Pennsylvania’s preemption statute; Title 18, Section 6120, “Limitation on municipal regulation of firearms and ammunition.” This section specifically states that, "No county, municipality or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth."
This ordinance 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.” However, the Pittsburgh City Council is thumbing its nose at the Constitution. Councilwoman Tonya Payne (District 6) even had the nerve to say, "Who really cares about it being unconstitutional?"
State preemption regulating firearms was enacted by the legislature to avoid the possibility of 2,639 separate firearm laws across the Commonwealth. Without preemption there would be a myriad of local firearm laws making compliance impossible for law-abiding gun owners.
Please contact Mayor Luke Ravenstahl (D) TODAY and respectfully urge him to oppose this illegal and unwarranted attack on our Second Amendment rights. The Mayor can be reached by phone at (412) 255-2626, by fax at (412) 255-2687, or email mayorcompl@city.pittsburgh.pa.us.
POLITICIANS & DIAPERS NEED TO BE CHANGED OFTEN AND FOR THE SAME REASON
A person properly schooled in right and wrong is safe with any weapon. A person with no idea of good and evil is unsafe with a knitting needle, or the cap from a ballpoint pen.
I remain pessimistic given the way BATF and the anti gun crowd have become tape worms in the guts of the Republic. - toad
