Share:
Senate Co-Sponsorship Memoranda
Senate of Pennsylvania
Session of 2015 - 2016
Regular Session
MEMORANDUM
| Posted: | January 5, 2016 04:36 PM |
|---|---|
| From: | Senator Lawrence M. Farnese, Jr. |
| To: | All Senate members |
| Subject: | Assault Weapons Ban |
| In the near future, I plan to introduce two pieces of legislation that would address the issue of assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazines. The first is a bill that would establish a statewide ban on assault weapons for non-military and non-law enforcement agents. The second is a resolution urging the reinstatement of the federal Assault Weapons Ban. As a legislative body, we have had the opportunity to work on important firearms legislation in the past, such as the straw purchasing bill, House Bill 898 of Legislative Session 2011-2012. In an effort to continue the discussion on commonsense public safety proposals, I believe it is time to reintroduce legislation banning dangerous assault weapons for non-military and non-law enforcement agents. This legislation will be identical to Senate Bill 435 of Legislative Session 2013-2014. Previous co-sponsors include Senators Costa, Fontana, Hughes, Tartaglione, and Williams. With the federal Assault Weapons Ban having expired in the fall of 2004, Pennsylvania has been left vulnerable to violence with assault weapons for the last eleven years. Law enforcement organizations across the country supported the federal ban, including the Fraternal Order of Police, National Sheriffs’ Association, International Association of Chiefs of Police and Major City Chiefs Association. My resolution will urge Congress and the President to pass and sign legislation that would reinstate a federal assault weapons and high-capacity magazine ban. In the absence of a federal ban, a statewide assault weapons ban is a commonsense approach to curtailing gun violence. Our country has experienced too many devastating mass shootings over the past several months and years. In 2015 alone, there were 372 shootings that resulted in the death or injury of four or more people. These acts of violence left 475 people dead and 1,870 wounded. An assault weapons ban will not prevent every violent act, but restricting access to military-style weapons is an important step in the right direction. Please join me in sponsoring this commonsense public safety measure. |
Document #1
| Description: | The first piece of legislation would enact an assault weapons ban in Pennsylvania modeled after the federal ban in effect from 1994 to 2004. This would include a ban on high-capacity ammunition magazines. | |
|---|---|---|
Document #2
| Description: | The second piece of legislation would urge Congress and the President of the United States to institute an assault weapons and high-capacity ammunition magazine ban at the federal level. | |
|---|---|---|