Montco Lawmaker: 'I Beat The NRA'

By Justin Heinze:

The National Rifle Association does not have the right to sue Pennsylvania municipalities over the use of the word “gun” in firearm ordinances, thanks to a lawsuit by State Sen. Daylin Leach (D-Montgomery/Delaware).

The Commonwealth Court of Pennsylvania ruled on Thursday that 2014’s Act 192 was unconstitutional.

Act 192 relates to the theft of secondary metals. Unrelated language was added in an amendment last year which gave membership organizations like the NRA the right to sue Pennsylvania municipalities over ordinances related to firearms.

Specifically, the NRA did not want municipalities using the word “gun” in their firearms regulations, according to Leach.

“This will bring relief to dozens of municipalities currently being sued by the NRA and its allies,” Leach said. “You should not be able to sneak in unrelated provisions to a bill at the last minute when nobody will notice.”

Along with Leach, State Sen. Vince Hughes, State Sen. Larry Farnese, State Rep. Cherelle Parker, State Rep. Ed Gainey, the City of Philadelphia, the City of Pittsburgh, and the City of Lancaster were all co-plaintiffs in the case.

“All municipalities that abandoned constitutional practices regarding where guns may be carried, may resume enforcing them,” Leach said. “And the NRA can go back to doing what it does best: making sure that we never pass reasonable, constitutional gun restrictions which would save thousands of lives per year.”

The NRA did not immediately respond to a request for comment on this story.

Photo of State Sen. Daylin Leach on June 29 courtesy of his office.