State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson And Hopeful Gun-Control Bills To Reach Philadelphia By Zack Flowers
 |
Senator Larry Farnese,
District Attorney Lynne Abraham,
and State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson (D-146th).
It was as far back as Thursday, April 16, 2009 three gun-control bills now in the Pennsylvania legislature would close loopholes surrounding the illegal purchase, sale, and possession of firearms.
They were described yesterday at a news conference at Philadelphia Police Headquarters by State Sen. Larry Farnese (D., Phila.), who introduced the legislation in February. He was joined by District Attorney Lynne M. Abraham, Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross, State Sen. LeAnna Washington (D., Phila.-Montgomery), and State Rep. Kenyatta Johnson (D., Phila.).
The first bill would make it illegal for anyone charged with a felony, but not yet convicted, to buy, transfer, sell, or possess a firearm.
The second would prohibit anyone convicted of a felony drug offense as a juvenile from buying or owning a gun as an adult.
The third bill would require a mandatory one-year sentence for carrying a gun without a license. It was first introduced in 2007, but failed to move out of committee.
Farnese’s announcement came less than a year after the National Rifle Association took City Council members to court for their attempt at gun-control legislation. Farnese and his supporters say they hope for the NRA’s cooperation on the state level.
The proposed legislation “is going after illegal guns,” Farnese said. “We are not going to be disturbing the rights of legal gun owners.”
