Month: March 2008

Eric has a post up about this topic:

Why single out guns unless the intent is to stigmatize them? I think that a law criminalizing non-reporting requires more than merely reporting a loss or a theft; by its nature it imposes an affirmative duty to monitor and count your guns on a regular basis or be a criminal (in much the same way that a law criminalizing the non-reporting of silverware would require counting the silver). But because it does not spell that out, I think it’s unconstitutionally void for vagueness.

Read the whole thing.  I think it creates that obligation as well, because most of these bills use the standard “X period of time after the actor knew or should have known the firearms were missing.”

I think I actually missed the most important part:

Joe Grace, CeaseFirePA executive director, said the group had lobbied all 203 House members and would hold a rally and news conference today. Hundreds of supporters are expected to turn out, among them 10 busloads of Philadelphians.

Last week, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh City Councils passed resolutions urging the legislature to pass a lost-and-stolen bill.

Law enforcement agencies across the state, including the Pennsylvania State Police, say such a mandatory requirement would help prevent straw purchasers of guns from using the excuse that their guns, later used in crimes, were lost or stolen.

This vote was moved up.  You don’t just pull a rally that size out of thin air.  I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that the vote was moved up to coincide with a rally that was already planned, in order to help pre-ordain the outcome.  Calling your representatives is now more important than ever.  They must hear from gun owners.

Here’s what the Inquirer says:

Handgun-control proponents in the State House are attempting to force a floor vote today on a controversial bill that would require handgun owners to tell authorities when their weapons are lost or stolen.

To avoid a counter-lobbying campaign by the National Rifle Association, lawmakers late Wednesday filed the language as an amendment to a crime-code bill that had already cleared a House committee. The move sends the bill directly to the floor.

“This is a historic moment for the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the House in particular,” said Rep. Cherelle Parker (D., Phila.). “For many years, legislators across Pennsylvania have been trying to answer calls law enforcement has been making to us to give them the tools to get handguns off the streets.”

The amendment will face opposition from Republicans and many rural Democrats. But, proponents say, polls showing that a majority of voters support mandatory reporting of lost and stolen handguns will compel lawmakers at least to go on record with their position.

It’s unclear whether opposition has softened in Harrisburg since 2006, when the House overwhelmingly defeated the measure. Votes were not recorded then.

Let’s hope not.  Contacting legislators makes all the difference.  Lawmakers assume one phone call represents probably 100 other people out there that think the same way.  If they are getting 5 to 1 calls in favor of gun owners, that’ll put some fear into them.  Someone who calls is someone who will come out to vote against you if you go against them on this issue.  Make sure your reps know how you feel.