PA Bill Number: HB1472
Title: In primary and election expenses, further providing for reporting by candidate and political committees and other persons and for late contributions ...
Description: In primary and election expenses, further providing for reporting by candidate and political committees and other persons and for late contrib ...
Last Action: Referred to STATE GOVERNMENT
Last Action Date: Apr 22, 2024
Standing with shooting victims' families, Tai announces gun safety legislation :: 07/31/2018
Bills would require the safe storage of firearms and the reporting of lost or stolen weapons
HARRISBURG, July 31 – Joined by families affected by gun violence, State Rep. Helen Tai today announced a legislative package that would provide common sense checks to protect children and the public against the illegal use of firearms by individuals in Pennsylvania.
“Pennsylvanians have been telling us that they want gun safety legislation passed, and we need to listen to them,” Tai said. “It is absolutely critical that we protect our children, their schools and our residents in their communities. Everyone should have the right to walk down the street and not feel the threat of gun violence.”
Tai was joined in announcing the legislation by the families of the four young men brutally murdered last July by Cosmo DiNardo. DiNardo committed the slayings using a family member’s firearm that he personally was not permitted to possess. While he pled guilty to the murders in May and was sentenced to four consecutive life sentences, his parents, whom prosecutors said provided DiNardo with “a playland for illegal acts,” were unable to be charged with allowing DiNardo to access firearms under Pennsylvania law.
The package of bills that Tai, D-Bucks, plans to introduce would prevent similar tragedies from occurring by requiring the safe storage of firearms and the reporting of lost or stolen weapons by owners. It also provides criminal penalties for those who fail to comply with the law.
“Because the commonwealth currently has no requirements regarding the safe storage of firearms, no member of DiNardo’s family was held accountable for permitting him access to the firearm used in the murders,” Tai said. “The lack of such requirements leaves our children unacceptably vulnerable to murders, fatal accidents, suicides, and school shootings.”
A supporter of gun owner’s Second Amendment rights, Tai also supports practical legislation to protect Pennsylvania’s schools and communities from the threat of gun violence, which include universal background checks, a bump stock ban and a bill banning terrorists from purchasing weapons.
“Because of failed leadership in Harrisburg, a myriad of gun safety bills are stuck in committee and are not coming to the floor of the House for an open and honest debate,” Tai said. ”Our children, parents, educators and communities deserve better.”
