PA Bill Number: SB945
Title: Consolidating the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code; and making repeals.
Description: Consolidating the act of August 9, 1955 (P.L.323, No.130), known as The County Code; and making repeals. ...
Last Action: Third consideration and final passage (199-0)
Last Action Date: Apr 17, 2024
Weekly Newsletters
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday July 21st 2019 :: 07/21/2019
One of the most interesting things in the past few weeks has been the curtailment of the 24/7 advocacy for more gun control. The newsfeeds seem to have lost interest for some reason. The reckless and factually challenged articles seem more and more difficult to find as do the “if it bleeds it leads” kind of shrill reporting of every tragic incident! So is this because violent crime with firearms is really down? If it is down could it be, in part, connected to this shrill advocacy for gun control?
Let’s look at the above in a different way, shall we? It is well known in media circles, behind-the-scenes, that they intentionally downplay incidents of self-defense because of their two-dimensional sky is falling concerns over promoting what they believe would be vigilantism! Also, up until Netflix decided that they were going to promote teen suicides the media routinely stayed away from discussing this issue because of fears of copycatting. Interestingly, teen suicides have gone up by some reports as much as 30% since the Netflix series began and while this is not scientific it seems many are anecdotally connecting the dots with this series.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday July 7th 2019 :: 07/07/2019
**We apologize for this resend but the torrential downpours derailed the sending of this newsletter properly.
When first getting involved in the debate over the Second Amendment, one of the problems I ran into was the sparsity of ‘relevant’ information that was available to individuals who wanted to get politically active. The information that was available was either considered tainted by elected leaders because of its' source or was easily refuted by heavily doctored “anti-gun talking points”. Granted this was in the mid-80s (the proverbial ‘dark ages’ electronically) and that the availability of information was limited by the individual’s determination in pursuing it and that today’s Internet was absent in every regard.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday June 30th 2019 :: 06/30/2019
There is an old analogy that compares politics to the making of sausage and no finer example of that is the recent deliberations over SB 621, which provided for standards and criteria for arming, with firearms officers and individuals to provide security in public schools in Pennsylvania.
The reason for SB 621 was to fix the mistakes in Act 44 from last session which, supposedly, dealt with similar issues. But of course, the language in that previous legislation did not allow for human bias and prejudice as well as narrow minded self-interest. So, Sen. Regan offered up, in this session, SB 621 to make sure it was clear that the intent was to provide for more effective security in our schools to protect our children!
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday June 23rd 2019 :: 06/23/2019
This past week, in the Pennsylvania Senate and House, we have been treated to yet another display of the unbridled hysteria promoted by factually challenged Cease-Fire PA and other anti-gun groups regarding gun free zones and Pennsylvania schools and their opposition to armed and trained security personnel in Pennsylvania schools as clarified in SB 621.
The first question that needs asked is whether or not we should protect our children in schools at least as well as we do for banks and sporting engagements among other things? The answer to this question is obviously an absolute yes! The second question is whether or not gun free school zones have worked? The obvious answer to this question is an absolute no!
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday June 16th 2019 :: 06/16/2019
After decades of a slow, and oft times tumultuous, erosion of our rights, with occasional regaining small bits of ground, we stand on the brink. The slippery slope has shrunk to only inches wide, with nothing but a sheer cliff beyond it. The Democrats have given their party fully over to gun control.
Couple that with all of the controversy over the mess at the NRA and it now seems like a good time to remind everyone that YOU are the Gun Lobby.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday June 2nd 2019 :: 06/02/2019
Once again, we’ve had another horrifying example as to the complete lunacy of establishing gun free zones, especially in government buildings! The horrifying attack at the Virginia Beach municipal complex, on Friday 5/31, was made all the more tragic by the nearly immediate vitriolic response from gun control politicians and organizations calling for more gun control laws. From former VP Joe Biden, Sen. Kamala Harris, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, Mayor Pete Buttigieg, former congressman Beto O’Rourke, Cory Booker and many others put out calls for more gun control within a few hours of the tragedy.
The question of “How many more?” is a question that we ask ourselves all the time. Yet we seem institutionally paralyzed from taking the appropriate steps and recognizing that the current path we are on is self-destructive even though examples abound that there are better ways!
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday May 26th 2019 :: 05/26/2019
In these last days of spring, we commemorate those who died in the military service. We celebrate Memorial Day on the last Monday of May. So it was fitting that yesterday, FOAC joined with Representative Bud Cook for a concealed carry seminar at the (very impressive) Charleroi Sportsmen’s Club and at this presentation we were honored to have a gold star father attend, which made yesterday very special!
So What is Memorial Day?
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday May 19th 2019 :: 05/19/2019
Just Imagine if the Media Treated 2nd Amendment Advocates and the Gun Issue Honestly
In a recent Op-ed for Fox News, discussing the recent walkout of students and parents at a vigil-turned-gun-control-event, writer and author Frank Miniter drives a wooden stake deep into the heart of the media’s bias against the 2nd Amendment, guns and the people who own them.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday May 5th 2019 :: 05/05/2019
Tomorrow the 2019 2nd Amendment Freedom Rally begins at 10 a.m. in Harrisburg. Hopefully PA gun owners will turn out in huge numbers to make a statement to PA Legislators that we will NOT tolerate more violations of our Rights under the PA Constitution!
Two more important pieces of legislation have been introduced in advance of the Rally; one by Rep. Bernstine – Constitutional Carry (HB 1412) – and another by Rep. Jim Marshall – Eliminate PA Gun Owner Registry (HB 1416). Please take a moment to thank ‘both’ of these courageous legislators!
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday April 21st 2019 :: 04/21/2019
When debating/discussing the issues surrounding the 2nd Amendment and firearms in general, it is inevitable that ‘someone’ will begin to criticize us in a self-righteous and indignant tone as if they have the moral duty to demonize you/me and gun ownership. In dealing with these individuals there seems to be two-dimensional mindset at work that refuses to consider the possibility of another perspective that ‘they’ have not considered.
A truly honest answer to these individuals must begin with questions regarding their assumptions behind their positions.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday April 7th 2019 :: 04/07/2019
On April 2nd the Pittsburgh City Council voted to formally and officially pass and adopt the amended legislation that was initially approved the week before by the very same vote 6-3. This puts Pittsburgh on a collision course with inevitably being dragged into court for violating Pennsylvania Preemption law and, hopefully, jail cells for the crimes they have intentionally and defiantly committed.
We are now just waiting for either the Misfit Mayor, Peduto, to sign the ordinances or 10 days to elapse and they will automatically become law. Either way we are prepared to challenge the crimes of the City of Pittsburgh legally and to force the hand of the District Attorney to take the necessary action against City Council and, potentially, the Mayor if he signs the bills.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday March 31st 2019 :: 03/31/2019
Well, it’s now official. They’ve gone and done it. Pittsburgh City Council, by a 6-3 vote, has gone and passed a gun control bill despite, or in spite of, the Pennsylvania Preemption law (18 P.S. 6120) on the books.
Pittsburgh City Council on Wednesday (3/27) tentatively approved three gun-control bills that would ban the USE of ‘so-called’ assault-style weapons and accessories in public places in the wake of October’s Tree of Life massacre in Squirrel Hill. These bills also included the much despised ‘Extreme Risk Protection Order’ concept which also would allow the courts to remove firearms from those who pose an “extreme risk” to themselves or others without ‘due process’.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday March 24th 2019 :: 03/24/2019
This past week has seen the City of Pittsburgh continue to try and evade the prohibitions of Pennsylvania’s Preemption law by amending the previous legislation with supposedly more narrow language. This ‘underhanded ploy’ is meant to distract the public and the media into thinking that Pittsburgh Council is acting responsibly when in fact this is another example of lawlessness and arrogance!
For instance, and as a reminder, the PA Preemption law (18 P.S. 6120) says:
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday March 17th 2019 :: 03/17/2019
The last week has seen so many stupid, underhanded occurrences related to gun control that it is hard to pick one so we went with the top three winners but once again the city of Pittsburgh manages to rise to the top.
On Wednesday, March 13 there was a committee meeting to discuss adding research and an amendment to the three illegal gun laws the city is pursuing. Interestingly there was no public notice of this meeting agenda but somehow Councilman O’Connor found a way to notify the anti-gun groups and even a couple of doctors from UPMC to attend. Then the media portrayed it as there was no opposition to testify against these developments yet they failed to make a mention of the fact that no public notice was given. Bias?
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday March 3rd 2019 :: 03/03/2019
Pennsylvania gun owners have, what appears to be, a seriously mistaken belief that PA gun laws are better than most. At presentation after presentation we, FOAC, try to dispel this misguided notion that continuously comes up as if to dismiss gun law concerns and to derail ‘any’ thoughts of a need to get involved.
Well, another so-called ‘gun safety organization’ (code for your rights are unimportant) has given Pennsylvania a higher grade on its “gun law scorecard” compared with last year, ranking the state 12th on the strength of its gun laws and other factors.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday February 24th 2019 :: 02/24/2019
With their newly acquired Majority power, Congressional House Democrats seem to have dropped all pretense of standing for the Constitution and their Oath of Office and are forcing dangerous gun control bills to be acted on. Do not accept acquiescence from your Republican representative…
Having assumed ‘control’ in the US House, the anti-Second Amendment party has gone right to work pushing dangerous gun control bills, three bills particularly which are slated to run ‘THIS’ week in the full US House of representatives. In short, H.R. 8 (Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2019) makes private firearms transfers a crime, while H.R. 1112 (Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2019) establishes a nationwide waiting period for gun purchases and H.R. 1263 (Amends IRS Code to Subject Any Semi-Automatic Rifle that Accepts Detachable Magazines to National Firearms Act) this would force every owner/purchaser of any Semi-Auto rifle to register, and pay $200, as machine gun.
Although bills such as these seem like “Democrat” bills that would never make it through the Republican-held Senate, don’t be so sure. As it stands, these bills are labeled “bi-partisan” because some less reliable Republican lawmakers (read: RINOs), have co-sponsored them. This allows for the following scenario:
- If these bills have bi-partisan support, they’ll likely pass the House easily, even if a few conservative Democrats vote against them. As it stands, no less than five Republicans have signed on to H.R. 8. So far, H.R. 1112 has only one Republican co-sponsor, but it can still be labeled bi-partisan, and is quite likely to pass the House. Other than the co-sponsors, it’s anyone’s guess how many other unreliable Republicans will vote for one or both of these bills. While H.R. 1263 has no Republican Sponsors as of yet.
- If there are Republicans in the House who sign on to these oppressive gun control laws, who’s to say that certain “moderate” Republicans in the Senate won’t do the same?
- While it’s true that we have a Republican president, it’s also true that President Trump has dithered on questions of ‘Beltway Style’ Gun Control. He has supported so-called “red flag” laws, which arbitrarily deny due process and strip citizens of their Second Amendment rights by bureaucratic whim. Also, by executive fiat the president recently banned bump stock devices. By these examples, you can see there is no guarantee that the president would veto a gun control bill, and there is even reason to believe that he would happily sign into law certain gun control measures.
In the very possible scenario highlighted above, one can see that there is real risk here. Clearly, it’s up to us, the people, to stop this. Please contact your representative and demand that he or she continue to recognize and vigorously defend guaranteed human rights. Below, see how you can easily email and phone your Republican US House Representative and demand these very things.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday February 17th 2019 :: 02/17/2019
Yesterday, February 16, I participated in a second amendment rally and information day at the Langhorne Sportsmen’s Club in Langhorne Pennsylvania, which is just a stone’s throw from Philadelphia and New Jersey. I was joined by Joshua Prince, our attorney against the city of Pittsburgh and long time defender of our constitutional right to bear arms.
First I would like to complement and commend Dave Esposito and the officers and members of the Langhorne sportsmen’s club for their tremendous courtesy and accommodation in holding this event! In my opinion, there is no finer or more supportive gun club in Pennsylvania! They have a tremendous facility and they put out a tremendous newsletter and their service to the members and our constitutional freedoms is absolutely stunning and tremendous!
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday February 3rd 2019 :: 02/03/2019
In this week’s newsletter we're going to try to get into the absolute deluge of things that have been happening that will affect your right to bear arms and self-defense!
The last week has seen a ratcheting up of rhetoric in the fight against the city of Pittsburgh preemption law violations that are being planned. The mayor has openly stated that this illegal effort is not going to cost taxpayers any money which may be the biggest lie of the week! From the public rally to the public hearing it is clear the city has spent thousands of dollars if not more just on police protection alone. The mayor was trying to refer to the fact that apparently several attorneys are going to offer their services pro bono to try and protect the constitutional rapists (Mayor Peduto and city Council) from being held accountable in court. Time will tell how far this particular lie will get them!
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday January 27th 2019 :: 01/27/2019
First, I want to apologize to everyone for not getting out our weekly newsletter last weekend. The reason for this was because of the Internet cabal of Verizon, Yahoo, and AOL which a few days before bounced thousands of our messages without any warning with a lame excuse of spam or volume for conduct we have engaged in for years in the same way. It has taken weeks to try to sort out the reasoning behind this and I want to take this opportunity to explain to you what’s going on with these three entities.
For those who don’t know, Verizon owns AOL and Yahoo. It seems, from what we experienced, that Yahoo is managing the email for all three entities. There has been turmoil behind the scenes with layoffs and restructuring going on.
FOAC's Weekly Message For Sunday January 6th 2019 :: 01/06/2019
Tomorrow, January 7th, at noon there will be a Rally in the City of Pittsburgh at the City/County building by gunowners to openly decry the proposed clearly illegal efforts to enact local gun control. Normally, I would be overjoyed at seeing Pennsylvania gunowners stand up and be outspoken in their opposition to gun control and violations of rights but I have deep reservations about this particular Rally.
First, it’s important to understand that the focus of this Rally is rooted in the firearms preemption issue and the accountability of local governments to the law, which the City of Pittsburgh is clearly flaunting! I believe that the organizers of this Rally have allowed the passions of a few gunowners over open carry to hijack the true mission and purpose of this Rally in demonstrating public opposition to what Mayor Peduto and city Council are doing. I want to be perfectly clear that the mission of this Rally should be laser focused on Title 18 section 6120, preemption of firearms laws reserved to the state and not open carry.
114 Total Weekly Newsletter
