U.S.A. -(AmmoLand.com)- Last week, Gov. Tom Wolf vetoed a pair of pro-Second Amendment bills that had passed both chambers of the Legislature with solid support. The move was not unexpected, given that the anti-gun Governor has been unilaterally demonstrating his disdain for freedom and liberty for months.
Nevertheless, we want to thank the legislators who took a bold stand for the rights of Pennsylvanians. House Bill 2440 and House Bill 1747 had both passed the Senate in November on votes of 29-20 after easily clearing the House earlier this Fall. These bills were written to protect constitutionally guaranteed rights during declared states of emergencies.
House Bill 2440, by Rep. Bill Kortz, would have designated shooting ranges, sportsman clubs, hunting facilities, and business relating to the sale or production of firearms and ammunition as life-sustaining. House Bill 1747, by Rep. Matthew Dowling, would have prevented state and local governments from suspending or limiting the sale, dispensing, or transportation of firearms during a declared emergency. It also would have removed the carry prohibitions that exist with exemptions.
COVID-19, and the closures occurring across much of the country, have forced a reexamination of statutes in many states with regard to declared states of emergency. Citizens are guaranteed basic fundamental rights that should never be infringed, particularly in these tumultuous times. We have witnessed firsthand the inability of the government to protect people, and it is absolutely essential that citizens be able to provide for their own self-defense, especially during a declared state of emergency. While Gov. Wolf’s veto is disappointing, NRA will continue to fight for the rights of all Pennsylvanians.
We would like to thank all of the NRA members who contacted their legislators and the Governor.
About NRA-ILA:
Established in 1975, the Institute for Legislative Action (ILA) is the “lobbying” arm of the National Rifle Association of America. ILA is responsible for preserving the right of all law-abiding individuals in the legislative, political, and legal arenas, to purchase, possess, and use firearms for legitimate purposes as guaranteed by the Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. Visit: www.nra.org
Gun owners are like cigarette smokers, they have become second class citizens in the eyes of many elected officials and the only reason they still tolerate them is the massive amount of tax dollars that both generate. My feeling is if the state has not passed a law about mask wearing or the shutting down of any business under the emergency declaration and signed into law by the governor it should not be allowed to stand in a court of law. Who gets to decide what is an emergency and what should the state ,county or city enforce without a… Read more »
“Emergency Powers” is the slippery slope. What is to prevent these power hungry Governor’s from declaring “gun violence “ as a public health hazard ?
Good point. They have already declared “gun violence” a national “epidemic” and Trump gave the Center for Disease Control funding to study “gun violence.” The conclusion they want has already been reached and now they just want to create a basis for the conclusion. Very little is being done to actually address one of the primary drivers of murder and non-negligent homicide. Maybe Boebert will be the first legislator to stand up and declare there is no such thing as gun violence and work with people like Robert Woodson to address that underlying issue. Meanwhile, keeping violent criminals incarcerated for… Read more »
Want to really end the causes of violence etc? Go to Church. Once people realize they are accountable to the LORD everything else falls into place. You can’t legislate morality. When I was a kid, most anybody could and did have a gun. Some of us had military grade weapons. Yet there were no mass murders. Why? Think about what Kruchev said to the united nations in 1959. He would destroy the U.S.A. without firing a shot. The first thing he did was to get the LORD taken out of school, business, sports and congress. Don’t take my word for… Read more »
Wasn’t it we’ll destroy you from within, in there also??????
Deplorable Bill, Just saw your response. Totalitarians have to remove (or ridicule into obscurity, or subjugate) any competing authority such as religion or parents. Stalin, Mao, and Hitler all followed that same path. Having said that, there was some truth in Charlie Daniels words: Preacher man talking on TV, puttin’ down the rock and roll Wants me to send a donation, ’cause he’s worried about my soul He said, “Jesus walked on the water,” and I know that it’s true But sometimes I think that preacher man, would like to do a little walkin’ too There are more than a… Read more »
what are PA’s rules to overrule a veto? do they have the votes to do so? the wuhan virus does not rise to the level of “state of emergency” powers acts/executive actions by state governors. if so, then every year come cold and flu season they could do the same. this is just an attempt by power hungry politicians attempting to exercise their power over citizens. like the french revolution this might not end as they want. the party of science really does not believe in science, facts or statistical data.
Hooray!! someone who knows what they’re talking about. Thanks Greg as you point out politicians can label anything as an emergency if we let them.
TYRANNY and TREASON.. RIGHTS are NOT things that are able to be suspended unless jailed or in the looney farm. Those who say or actually try to suspend the FREEDOMS and RIGHTS that are given to mankind from the LORD GOD ALMIGHTY and further written into law as our constitution, bill of rights and amendments are criminal to the point of TYRANNY and TREASON and are subject to the legal punnishment for their crimes.
Arm up and carry on
Wolf is a scum-bag Demo-Rat and has been for years, I’m glad that I moved out of that state 5years ago after my wife passed away, really bad that the state turned so bad under Wolf’s leadership!!!!!!!!!!!!
The legislation passing or failing is irrelevant as is the guy in the white house (although Trump gives us more time to prepare). The die is cast, there is no reform and definably no voting your way out of this. Do something productive – start thinking about and planning for what comes next.