proposed laws

PA Bill Number: HB777

Title: In firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for definitions and providing for the offense of sale of firearm or firearm parts without ...

Description: In firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for definitions and providing for the offense of sale of firearm or firearm parts without ...

Last Action: Third consideration and final passage (104-97)

Last Action Date: Mar 27, 2024

more >>

decrease font size   increase font size

PA Preemption: Strattanville Borough Council Kills Proposed Firearms Ordinance :: 08/12/2017

STRATTANVILLE, Pa. (EYT) – A controversial firearms ordinance proposed in Strattanville Borough was shot down at Wednesday night’s council meeting.

Strattanville Borough council voted 5-2 to dismiss further action concerning the possible firearms ordinance.

Council president Susan Schmader and council member Karen Reddick both voted “Yes” to proceed with the ordinance, but “No” votes by council vice president Richard Thompson, Robert Rawson, John Reed, John Stants, and Donna Buckner brought the matter to a close.

“Council works as a team, and this is what has been decided,” Schmader said. “I was very concerned with the shooting that was going on, but this is what we decided.”

If enacted, the proposed ordinance would have restricted firearms discharge within the borough except under certain circumstances.

Council previously had solicitor Ralph Montana develop the proposed ordinance, one he based off of similar law enacted in Rose Valley Borough, Delaware County.

Strattanville Borough’s proposed ordinance was first presented to council at its July meeting.

The discussion was brief with Montana doing most of the talking.

Montana said he considered the ordinance one “that was more about safety than about controlling gun use.”

“If it saves one life, then it’s worth it,” Montana said.

A few council members were concerned with some of the wording that could have prohibited shooting bow and arrows and pellet guns, but after a straw vote was taken to see if council would proceed with the proposed ordinance, it died quickly.

According to Schmader, the issue arose on Memorial Day weekend.

“It happened in my backyard,” Schmader said. “It wasn’t my property, but it was in my backyard when someone fired off dozens of rounds from a high-powered rifle.”

Firearms Owners Against Crime, based in McMurray, Pa., was considering legal action if the ordinance went into effect.

The ordinance also created controversy when the borough and Montana refused to give copies of the proposed ordinance to media outlets covering the story.

Freedom of Information Act requests were also denied.

RELATED STORIES

Proposed Strattanville Borough Firearms Ordinance Could Restrict Gun Owners
Strattanville Borough’s Proposed Gun Ordinance Has Many Up in Arms
Strattanville Denies Open Records Request for Proposed Firearms Ordinance

http://www.exploreclarion.com/2017/08/10/strattanville-borough-council-kills-firearms-ordinance/