Pennsylvania House Bill 1845 has quietly passed out of the Appropriations Committee this past week with scheduled action on this bill for Monday, March 17th. HB1845 provides for enhanced penalties for possession of a firearm with altered manufacturer's (serial) number as well as increased penalties for altering or obliterating marks of identification on firearms. The original bill is not controversial but what has happened is that a package of amendments (filed late Wednesday the 12th) are pending that need YOUR attention.



Two of these amendments are pro-gun and ones we NEED TO SUPPORT. The first is Rep. Cappelli’s bill – HB 641 – the Castle Doctrine that has been bottled up in the Judiciary Committee and the Amendment ID# is ‘A05131’. Please ask legislators to support this one! The second Pro-Gun amendment is Rep. Stevenson’s – HB 1029 – this amendment will allow holders of a valid CCW / PA License to Carry a Firearm to bypass (is an exception to) the PA Instant Check when purchasing a firearm and the Amendment ID# is ‘A05706’. Please ask legislators to support this one TOO!



There is an amendment filed by Rep Levdansky that threatens our rights and that is amendment – A06178, which is part of the Philadelphia Legislators anti-gun agenda. This legislation ‘requires’ under penalty of law the MANDATORY REPORTING of lost or stolen guns within 72 hours and criminal penalties with graded offenses. In addition it imposes numerous duties on FFL dealers and employees, with financial and legal responsibility, to provide copies of the warning on lending & loaning firearms AND to fully explain these firearm laws to their customers. (Pa has lost over 9,000 FFL dealers since the mid 1990’s and this amendment will surely chase and/or harass even more FFL’s out of business) Please ask legislators to OPPOSE this amendment A06178!

I can't believe that I'M saying this but,

I support Amendment-A06178 as anyone who loses or has a firearm stolen should report it to the Police within 72 hours. Dirt bags and Straw buyers can go years before they ever say a gun is so called "Missing" and by then how does the Police do a investigation if the claim is true or not. I also support FFL's taking the 60 seconds it takes to hand a gun buyer a form letter and explain the legal responsibility the gun owner has in the control and use of a firearm they own. This is another loop hole straw buys use (I did'nt know I could not lend my gun to someone) claim which needs to be closed.

I don't support HB 1029 – this amendment will allow holders of a valid CCW / PA License to Carry a Firearm to bypass (is an exception to) the PA Instant Check when purchasing a firearm and the Amendment ID# is ‘A05706’.

This would allow persons who have a CCW to bypass the insta-check system which would not allow FFL's to check if a recent PFA or 302 court order has been issued which would disqualify that person to buy or control firearms.

In reality the 'report a stolen firearm within X time' laws are going to be used to go after innocent citizens who don't know a firearm has been stolen because they don't look at it often (you know--shotgun under the bed, rifle in the back of the closet, pistol in a drawer, etc) while 'dirt bags' and 'straw buyers' will plea bargain these away business as usual style.

"60 seconds it takes to hand" over another piece of legalese for people to ignore is just more 'feel good' legislation that avoids reality--why don't we just make EVERY gun owner have a 'Safety Certificate' like California does? I'd oppose that too!

In Nevada my CHL allows me to bypass the check and more importantly saves me the $25 dollar theft/tribute/tax/duty that serves no purpose except to provide more money to a government that steals too much already. PA CCW holders have jumped through the hoops that should recognize they are good citizens.

Many of us feel there is already a multi-tier system of equality in this country due to laws like this that continually presume ordinary citizens must be 'less than trustworthy' or ...

To give my honest impression--I sometimes feel that those who are 'more equal' forget that the 'mere citizens' have a Constitutional right to resent that attitude and not only resist further restriction but may legitimately wish to reduce government interference in our lives.

I'd happily discuss attitudes and situations that have brought our society to this level of distrust on the various sides with differing points of view--but I'll always be wary of the fact that you're the admin who can edit/delete/lock my remarks while giving yours full force and exposure.

NDS wrote,

In reality the 'report a stolen firearm within X time' laws are going to be used to go after innocent citizens who don't know a firearm has been stolen because they don't look at it often (you know--shotgun under the bed, rifle in the back of the closet, pistol in a drawer, etc) while 'dirt bags' and 'straw buyers' will plea bargain these away business as usual style.

Negative, the reporting time starts when the firearm owner discovers the firearm is missing then they have 72 hours to report it. All the law would require is that one does report the firearm missing once its "Discovered" stolen or lost.

NDS wrote,

"60 seconds it takes to hand" over another piece of legalese for people to ignore is just more 'feel good' legislation that avoids reality--why don't we just make EVERY gun owner have a 'Safety Certificate' like California does?

If the people "Ignore" the "Legalese" then thats on them as they were notified of the law during the purchase, its just to stop them from saying "No One ever told me" line. The new Bill has nothing to do with or does it mimic any Safety Certificate, it just informs people they are responsible for the were abouts and use of the firearms they own. Thats simple common sense.

NDS wrote,

PA CCW holders have jumped through the hoops that should recognize they are good citizens.

Yes they have but even good people go bad sometimes and just because someone qualified for a CCW 2-3 or 4 years ago does not means certain aspects of their lives have not changed maybe sometimes for the worst. Domestic Violence, Drugs, Mental Illness and many other things happen in peoples lives and sometimes the insta check catches the right people for the right reasons and saves a life here and there. I say if you have a CCW then make the Insta check free or very low cost (Its $5.00 last I checked here in PA) and let the system work as it should, weeding out those who should not possess firearms due to valid reasons.

Lastly if you have a valid counter point I will never edit or delete it here as long as its based on fact and not a anti something stance.

Hmmm, Some good posts on both sides of the issues.

I can see some of Glockmans views but on the other hand any legislation that appears pro 2nd and will throw a wrench into the works of the anti's.

Then again something that is pro 2nd could backfire and provide more ammo for the anti's.


Some good thoughts guys, let's hear from more of you on this.

Edited for length, my latest comments in italics--NDS



(perhaps a separate discussion of the attitudes regarding civil institutioins and rightful limits of government held by those 'inside' vs. those 'outside' would be in order...)