State panel rejects 3 gun control bills

Source: Pittsburgh Post Gazette

HARRISBURG -- Even though he went 0 for 3 on major gun-control bills yesterday, Gov. Ed Rendell refused to concede defeat and insisted the fight has just begun to limit handgun purchases and require gun owners to report lost or stolen guns.

He said that rising gun violence in towns across Pennsylvania "has got to stop." He talked to reporters several hours after the House Judiciary Committee rejected two gun-control bills and tabled a third indefinitely.

"How many police officers have to become target practice before it stops?" he asked in an emotional voice. "I have sympathy for legislators. I know they're under a lot of pressure. The National Rifle Association is a machine, but it's time to say 'no' to the gun lobbyists."

The Judiciary Committee did give overwhelming approval to a fourth bill, but it wasn't controversial. It calls for a mandatory 20-year jail sentence for anyone convicted of intentionally shooting at a police officer -- even if the officer wasn't hit.

Mr. Rendell, a former mayor of Philadelphia, where six police officers have been shot recently, one fatally, insisted that he and other gun-control advocates "are not going away. It's the will of the people to get these bills out of committee and onto the floor for a vote. I would love to have success on this as governor in the next three years, but if it doesn't happen until I am Citizen Rendell, that's fine. We are going to win."

As a step in waging the battle, he said a major gun-control rally is planned for the Capitol Dec. 10. "Mayors and people from all over the state will be here, to demand that the House and Senate have the gumption to vote on these bills."

One bill would limit gun buyers to purchasing just one handgun a month. The bill was defeated 17 to 12.

Another bill would have allowed towns and cities to enact their own guns laws, tougher than state law. That bill was defeated by 19 to 10.

The committee then tabled the measure that would have required gun owners to report to police within 24 hours any gun that was lost or stolen.

Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/07325/835608-85.stm

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Two major victories within 24hrs for 2nd amendment and RKBA advocates.

I just hope we can maintain and capitalize on this momentum up until the elections.

..and sing 'kumbaya' to make the world a better place.

:sarcasm: