New PA. law will allow NRA to use tax money to sue Phila. & Pittsburgh

[JPZenger]

http://www.post-gazette.com/local/city/2014/10/21/Gun-bill-passed-by-Pa-House-could-lead-to-lawsuits-against-Pittsburgh-other-cities/stories/201410200202

A special new state law just passed the Pa. Legislature and was signed by Corbett. It allows the NRA to sue a municipality in PA that enacts any regulations on firearms. If the NRA wins, the taxpayers of the municipality must pay for all of the NRA's expenses. If the municipality wins in court, the NRA does not have to pay any of the municipality's expenses.

This issue arises because Pittsburgh, Philadelphia and 28 other municipalities passed a law that requires the owner of firearm to report a theft or loss of the firearm to the police. This is critical because when a gun is found at a crime scene, the first thing a criminal does is claim that his gun had been stolen.

These laws are also needed to stop straw purchases. A person can buy 100 guns, re-sell them all illegally to felons, and then later claim that the guns were all stolen some time in the past. There were attempts to get this simple requirement enacted by the legislature, but the NRA told them not to pass it, so they didn't.

As described in the Post-Gazette article, the NRA had previously tried to challenge the Pittsburgh law in court. The court threw out their challenge because the NRA could not prove that their organization was actually harmed by people having to report a stolen firearm. This is known as legal "standing." The Legislature has now given the NRA and similar organizations special rights so that they automatically have the right to sue.
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At the same time, the PA. House stripped out a provision of the bill that would have outlawed mass shooting of pigeons for fun right after they are released from cages.

[malthaussen]

1. They've been reading the TPP, obviously.

This is getting fucking ridiculous.

-- Mal

[Fred Sanders]

2. Another unconsitutional law that the cons hope will be upheld by the con infected shills pretending

to be impartial judges....it is in the master plan on the road to another Gilded Age.

The NRA does not even represent the majority of its members, and I must say anyone defending the NRA even an iota does not belong at DU. You just don't.

The NRA is pure self serving evil, have you seen their fear mongering lately, it is sociopathic?

[shellykay3]

4. what

you said....

[Travis_0004]

6. Firearm Preemption is leagal, and the law in lots of states.

[Fred Sanders]

8. As there are bad men, like the NRA, there are bad laws. These laws are like the anti-choice laws

that try to abolish freedom of choice for woman by ridiculous regulations in buildings and personal.

There are bad laws, and bad men and the NRA is their birthing grounds.

[Historic NY]

3. The NRA is complicit in the propagation of crime.

[shenmue]

5. Amen

[PADemD]

7. Do you know the name of the bill?

Was it SB*** or HB***?

I'd like to know who voted for the bill.

[happyslug]

9. site is on previous thread on this bill

Last edited Sun Oct 26, 2014, 01:59 AM - Edit history (2)

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1014926505

[JPZenger]

10. NRA out of touch with members

This is one more case of the NRA being out of touch with their members. I bet if they asked responsible firearms owners - "should you have to report a stolen or lost firearm to the police?", most would answer yes. Most people would support this type of law if they understood it was a way to prosecute straw purchases by felons.

However, the PA legislature is so afraid of NRA attack ads that they have refused to enact this type of common sense law statewide. Now, those legislators are allowing the NRA to overturn local laws requiring this type of reporting, with local tax dollars paying for the NRA's lawyers.

The NRA is not controlled by responsible firearms owners, but instead is controlled by firearms manufacturers who only want to sell more guns, regardless of who buys them.