Firearm Registration Act

[Baceman Spiff]

I caught a story about this bill, tuesday night on Channel 6 news. I spent some time wednesday morning trying to find more information. But I had no luck, untill I pm'd BaddazeRob. Soon after he sent me a link to the bill itself. (Thanks again Rob) After reading through it a few times, it became clear to me just exactly what this proposed law is all about. Gun Control. At this point, I realized I had to share this information with as many people as I could.

The General Assembly of Pennsylvania House Bill No. 760 "Firearm Registration Act", would require all firearms (with few exceptions) to be registered by their owner to the State Police. Section 3 of this bill reads as follows:

"All firearms in this Commonwealth shall be registered in accordance with this section. It shall be the duty of a person owning or possessing any firearm to cause the firearm to be registered. No person within this Commonwealth may possess, harbor, have under the person's control, transfer, offer for sale, sell, give, deliver or accept any firearm unless the person is the holder of a valid registration certificate for the firearm. No person within this Commonwealth may possess, harbor, have under the person's control, transfer, offer for sale, sell, deliver or accept any firearm which is unregisterable under this act."

This 'registration certificate' will cost $10.00 per firearm, per year. You can see how much revenue this would generate for the Commonwealth. And in turn how, financially, it will hurt the already overtaxed sportsmen of Pennsylvania. Oh, but it gets better. Section 4 further dictates the requirements of this registration:

"Application.--Every person who is required to register a firearm under this act shall obtain an application for registration of the firearm from the Pennsylvania State Police. The application shall be in writing and sworn under oath and shall require the following information:

(1) The name, home and business address, telephone number,
date of birth and Social Security number of the applicant.

(2) The age, sex and citizenship of the applicant.

(3) The name of the manufacturer, the caliber or gauge, the model,
type and serial number of each firearm to be registered.

(4) Two photographs taken within 30 days immediately
prior to the date of filing the application equivalent to
passport size showing the full face, head and shoulders of
the applicant in a clear and distinguishing manner.

(5) Additional information as the Pennsylvania State
Police may deem necessary to process the application.

(c) Fingerprinting.--The applicant or registrant shall submit to
fingerprinting by the Pennsylvania State Police in accordance with
procedures and regulations prescribed by the Pennsylvania State
Police."

Photographing and fingerprinting. Right about now a flag should be going up inside your mind. A responsible gun owner, who has never commited a crime, being booked like a common criminal. Merely for excersizing their constitutional right. The more I thiink about this concept, the more enraged I become. Now, personally, I dont think this bill has a snowball's chance in hell of becoming a law. But its the proposal of bills, such as this one, that take baby steps in changing the thought process of Americans. Its another attempt to ween us into a more controled society.

This is the link where you can read the bill in its entirety:
http://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/bil ... =B&BN=0760
Click on the word 'TEXT'

DISCLAIMER:
By posting this, it is not my intention to start a flame war on this site. I try to stay clear of pollitical dialogue, and keep most of my opinions to myself. This is simply an attempt to state the facts as I know them, and to highlight a story that appears to have been lost in the shuffle. Please overlook any mispelling or gramatical errors, and focus more on the content of this message. Thank You.

[metalchurch]

Democratic Communism. What more can I say? Thanks for bringing this to light Don, I'm not a hunter, nor do I own or have ever owned a firearm. But I feel that there should not be a cost for this form. I feel it would be more accepted by people if it didnt cost anything. And the finger printing and photo ID, and the other personal info, that is absurd. All in all it is a good idea, however they are going about it in a fucked up way. I hope that this gets revised and looked at further before being passed. This might make things worse actually if they dont.

[Sapo]

you don't register for your constitutional rights.

[lonewolf]

Don't get too alarmed.

This is just a bunch of democrat party chicks getting together to submit their annual gun control legislation. Every year, this bill is presented to the general assembly and every year it is quickly disposed of.

This is why we can't have democrat chicks taking over the White House.

[BDR]

Will this impact Super Soaker™ sales?

r:>)

[Charltor]

It's just the beginning of a "police" controled government. I think George Orwell may have been about 40 years off untill his image of the future actually transpires. This Bill is bullshit. Next they'll want you to register to take a shit.

[mjb]

whewwww, i was reading that at first and was thinking this is a new law and was literally sitting here stated to get totally fucked off and its only 8:15 a.m. i usually don't get fucked off till about 9- 9:30 and as i read on i was relieved when i found out that its a bill being proposed. that crap ain't gonna stick. luckily i diddn't throw my cup of coffee across the room yet.

even just to propose something so god dam ridiculous is enough to want me to chuck something across the room. 10 bucks a year per firearm fingerprints mug- shots WTF. i mean its like they're just fishing for some way to make more money off the citizens of pa. i'm sure that isn't going to become a law but like you said they are trying to change a way of thinking and in 20 years or so it might get a toe hold and in another 20 years after that it just might happen. i don't own a firearm and that shit still fuckin pisses me off. i'm sure the N.R.A. would have something to say about that. fucking pennsylvania.

just my .02 worth

[Geetarzz]

I'm sure that it only started as a bill in california and new jersey too.

[lonewolf]

I'm sure that it only started as a bill in california and new jersey too.

That is true, but fortunately, PA has something that those states don't have: A huge hunting lobby--probably the biggest hunting lobby in the U.S. As long as that is true, that kind of statewide legislation will never see the light of day.

You will, however, see it in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh because those are controlled by democrat political machines.

When you elect a democrat, you have to take the bad right along with the pie-in-the-sky rhetoric that they cannot deliver.

[Baceman Spiff]

Thanks for the response people. I wish this topic would have been left in the 'General Discussion' area so it could be seen by more people. But what can you do?

[Sapo]

I'm sure that it only started as a bill in california and new jersey too.

That is true, but fortunately, PA has something that those states don't have: A huge hunting lobby--probably the biggest hunting lobby in the U.S. As long as that is true, that kind of statewide legislation will never see the light of day.

You will, however, see it in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh because those are controlled by democrat political machines.

When you elect a democrat, you have to take the bad right along with the pie-in-the-sky rhetoric that they cannot deliver.

But the second amendment has nothing to do with hunting...absolutely nothing. I instantly classify a politician who tries to calm the fears of gun owners over gun control legislation by telling us "This won't affect your right to hunt" as either ignorant or disingenuous on this issue. Its bogus.

Cities have no standing or powers under the constitution so cities creating their own rules that circumvent a state or federal law, not to mention a constitutional right, are now and will always be complete trash. Its amazing how politicians and judges pretend things IN the constitution aren't there when they don't like them and how they make up things that AREN'T there when it suits their purposes.

[lonewolf]

Sapo, if you look back at my prior postings on this issue, you will find that I agree 120% with you that the 2nd amendment is not about hunting. According to the Federalist Papers, its all about the general population being as well armed as the federal military to prevent tyranny.

I did not mean to imply that the 2nd amendment is about hunting, only that hunters are generally the 1st line of defense in protecting that right.

In this context, it is the huge hunting population of Pennsylvania that will continue to protect this state's 2nd amendment rights by electing representatives who reject these attempts at statewide gun control laws.

[Sapo]

i wasn't really directing that at you...i just hate slimy politicians and i needed to vent.

[DirtySanchez]

This will never pass, and if it did, my guns would simply disappear.
No fucking way, would I ever comply with such bullshit.