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House Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
House of Representatives
Session of 2019 - 2020
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | May 31, 2019 09:48 AM |
|---|---|
| From: | Representative Jason Ortitay |
| To: | All House members |
| Subject: | Greater Pittsburgh Area Illegal Firearms Taskforce |
| On October 27, 2019, a violent and despicable act of domestic terrorism and hate shocked the nation as 11 Jews were murdered by an Anti-Semitic gunman at the Tree of Life Synagogue. Following this act of evil, the reports of Anti-Semitic activity in the greater Pittsburgh area have increased. In order to assist law enforcement in protecting our community, I plan to introduce legislation to establish a taskforce which would target illegal firearms in the Greater Pittsburgh Area. My legislation would appropriate money to the Attorney General’s Office to establish the taskforce which will work alongside law enforcement agencies. A similar taskforce already exists within Philadelphia. This taskforce would not impact law abiding gunowners nor legally purchased guns. Rather the taskforce would be charged with investigating cases of gun trafficking among other instances where a gun is not legally purchased and possessed. Again, this legislation and the taskforce it funds would not interfere with the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens, but crackdown on those who break our laws to possess firearms. While this taskforce is not a cure-all, I believe it will assist law enforcement as they work to keep our communities safe and prevent another unspeakable tragedy like the one in Squirrel Hill. Please join me in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation. |