PA:Bill to Hold Scofflaw Governments Accountable Passes Senate

HB1243 passed the Pennsylvania House of Representatives on October 6th, 143 to 54.   The bill adds teeth to the Pennsylvania preemption law that has been on the books for years.   Over 50 local governments have made a mockery of the rule of law by passing restrictive and illegal local ordinances.

 The bill allows member organizations to sue municipalities on behalf of their members, so those who push citizen disarmament (disarmenters?)  are claiming that it gives authority for the NRA to sue local governments.

That is true, just as the ACLU sues local governments over first amendment issues, or the environmentalists sue local governments over wetlands.   While I doubt that the founders would have believed that a local government would not be allowed to drain a swamp, I doubt they would have had a problem with states preventing  local governments from disarming their citizens.

Today, 16 October, the bill passed the Senate 34-16, as an amendment to another  bill.  The bill still needs to be signed by Governor Corbett.   He is in a race with Democrat candidate Wolf.   Corbett has an A rating by the NRA, and supports the PA preemption law.  I have not found a direct statement saying that Governor Corbett would sign the law.

With only a few weeks before the election, now would be a good time for Governor Corbett to show his support for the rule of law in Pennsylvania.

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Update: Because it is an amendment, the bill will need to go before the House to be approved in a concurrence vote.