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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | August 9, 2019 10:11 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Donna Bullock and Rep. Movita Johnson-Harrell |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Weapons in Public Parks |
| In the near future I plan on introducing legislation that would prohibit firearms and other dangerous weapons in public recreation areas. Recently there was a mass shooting that wounded seven people at Baker Playground in the Overbrook section of Philadelphia. Unfortunately, this was not a one-time occurrence. Several weeks before the shooting at Baker Playground, there was a shooting at Finnegan Playground in Southwest Philadelphia and one at a graduation party in Paschall Playground in Southwest Philadelphia. In 2018, there were 526 crimes committed at a recreation center in Philadelphia. More troubling, in 2018, there were 18 gun crimes committed on or near a city owned recreation center. It is beyond time for us to act to protect the most vulnerable of citizens, our children, who are the primary users of publicly owned recreation centers. My legislation, which is mirrored after current provisions of law which prohibit the possession of a firearm or other dangerous weapons in court facilities and on school property, would make it a crime to possesses a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a public recreation area. A public recreation area would be defined as a park, recreation center or pool owned or operated by a political subdivision. I believe this is a reasonable solution to a horrendous problem plaguing our public recreation areas. We provide these protections in court and on school property and it is time to extend these protections to our public recreation areas. This legislation will be identical to legislation being introduced in the Senate by Senator Hughes. I hope you will join me in sponsoring this legislation. Please contact my office if you have any questions. |
Introduced as HB1764