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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2017 - 2018
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | March 19, 2018 12:31 PM |
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| From: | Representative W. Curtis Thomas |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Preventing gun violence |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce a package of legislation that would address prevention of gun violence in schools and throughout the Commonwealth. The recent Parkland School shooting in Florida and subsequent threats in many of our own schools here in Pennsylvania has made us all keenly aware that even our schools are not exempt from gun violence |
Document #1
| Description: | #1 Advisory Committee on Gun violence prevention in school (HB 2146) In the Parkland tragedy, the school was completely unprepared for a breach of security by an armed gunman. My legislation will call for the creation of an advisory committee to study the safety and security of public schools throughout the Commonwealth. The committee will be tasked with creation of a best practices strategy to secure the infrastructure and management of the public schools. They further will identify resources to create a grant program to provide access additional resources to assist schools to fund their respective security plans. |
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Document #2
| Description: | #2 Prohibition of large capacity firearm magazines (HB 2145) The ability to inflict injury and death is directly related to the ability to continuously fire a weapon without the need to reload. My legislation would prohibit the possession sale or manufacture of large capacity firearm magazines. Also, it would increase the penalties for those who possess a firearm with a large captaincy magazine during the commission of a crime of violence including those of a sexual nature. |
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Document #3
| Description: | #3 Firearms and Mental Illness (HB 2144) While this legislation that was first circulated for co-sponsorship (Firearms and Mental Illness, 1-6-17) last year it deserves additional consideration. It will assist in screening potential gun owners with a mental illness. Anyone who has purchased a gun in Pennsylvania is familiar with the mental health question that appears on both the federal and state gun-purchase applications: “Have you ever been declared incompetent or involuntarily committed to a mental health institution?” This question seems reasonable enough. My bill would add an additional question that asks: “Have you ever been treated for any type of mental illness by a licensed professional?” My legislation answers the public call for increased control in matters of firearm licensure of people with mental illness. (Formerly HB 285 of the 2015-16 Legislative Session.) |
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Document #4
| Description: | #4 A ban on the sale or transfer of assault weapons to an individual under the age of 21 (HB 2120) Individuals under the age of 21 cannot legally purchase alcohol in Pennsylvania. Yet, they legally are able to purchase a semi-automatic weapon with the capability of causing devastating injuries and loss of life. This legislation would ban those under the age of 21 from the purchase or receipt of a transfer of a semiautomatic weapon. It would require that those 21 and over complete a training course on the proper use and operation of this firearm. Proof of training must be presented at the time of purchase or transfer. Please join me in co-sponsoring this package of legislation. |
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