Time To Ban Military-Style Assault Weapons In PA, New Bill Says

LOWER MAKEFIELD, PA — In the wake of the school shooting in Uvalde, Texas, State Senator Steve Santarsiero (D-10) announced plans Thursday to introduce legislation banning military-style assault weapons in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

“It’s time that we stand up with a single voice and say, enough. No one needs to have a military-style assault weapon. They just don’t,” said Santarsiero, who was joined at a press conference in Lower Makefield by political, religious, community and local school leaders from throughout Central and Lower Bucks County.

“The time has come for us to take a stand and make this a reality. This is about protecting each other. This is about protecting our loved ones. This is about protecting our community. And above all, this is about protecting the kids,” said Santarsiero.

On May 24 the nation was rocked with the news that an 18-year-old gunman armed with an AR-15 had made his way into Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas, and killed 19 children and two teachers before being shot and killed by authorities.

“Standing here on this spot we are less than a half mile away from an elementary school, the place where my kids went to elementary school,” said Santarsiero. “No parent should have to be in fear when they drop their children off in the morning or see them get on the bus that they’re going to come back at the end of the day. And no child should live in fear that they won’t get through the school day without a shooter coming in and taking their lives.”

Senate Bill 1300, which will be introduced in the next few days, would broaden the scope of what the state classifies as assault weapons, banning more than 150 different gun models. It would also ban the sale of gun magazines with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.

The bill would also provide for a voluntary buy-back program for individuals who currently own firearms that would no longer be permitted.

For those who decide to keep the weapons, they would be required to register and obtain a permit to continue to hold them. It would also require them to hold the firearms in safe storage pursuant to state rules and regulations governing storage.

The legislation also says that the weapons could not be transferred to another person. And when the person is done possessing the weapon, it would ultimately have to be destroyed.

The bill does provide exceptions for law enforcement; state parole agents; county, probation, parole officers and constables authorized to carry such a weapon; active members of the armed forces, National Guard or organized reserves; and employees of the U.S. duly authorized to carry an assault weapon.

“I’m sure the gun lobby will find this unacceptable,” said Santarsiero of his pending legislation. “I really don’t care because every one of us as citizens, when we are working together in concert, have more strength and power than they do.

“The time has come for there to be change in Harrisburg and in every state capitol across the United States and in Washington, D.C., to make this a reality,” he said.

But that change, said Santarsiero, who is a member of the minority party in Harrisburg, will not happen in Harrisburg without galvanizing the public to action.

“The power to make this happen rests with the public. Every one of us needs to take ownership on this issue, not just those of us who are elected officials. We need to lead, yes. But every one of you needs to be part of the solution by making your voice heard and by putting pressure on every legislator who doesn't support this ban,” said Santarsiero.

A large contingent of Pennsbury School District teachers, administrators and board members joined Santarsiero at the press conference to share their thoughts.

Pennsbury School Board President T.R. Kannan had one simple question.

“Why do we need them (assault weapons) if they can be used to cause so much damage?” he asked. “What do we really lose by not having them? Isn’t the tradeoff not worth it?”

Longtime Pennsbury elementary school teacher Nicole Peirce shared her insights from inside the classroom.

“Active shooter drills are a normal part of our school lives,” she said. “Elementary students are read stories about how to be prepared if such an emergency were to happen. This is a confirmation to our children that their need to learn comes with the risk of their very lives.

“As I’ve been watching the coverage from Uvalde, Texas, I can’t help look at those precious third and fourth grade faces and see the faces of my own beloved students,” she said. “Like many of my colleagues I chose this profession because I wanted to make a difference in the lives of children. Now my job comes with keeping an eye out for escape routes and keeping handy classroom items like staplers and scissors that I can use for defense if my school becomes the next target.”

Since Columbine in 1999, Peirce said 311,000 students have experienced gun violence at their school. Last year, she said, there were 42 instances of gun violence at K-12 schools during the school day. “We are already at 24 incidents this year,” she said.

“When will it be the tipping point to do something to protect our most valuable resource – our children, our future? I call on our legislators to act now. Our school systems need more counselors, psychologists, social workers and other staff to support the increasing mental health needs of students. We need funding set aside for school safety. We need our legislators to come together to take a hard look at the impact of gun violence on our schools so that common ground can be reached around gun control issues.”

Also joining Santarsiero at the press conference were Kimberly Everett, the executive director of BCHIP; State Senator John Kane; State Senator Sharif Street; Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer; State Senator Amanda Cappelletti; Penny Ettinger from the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA); Adam Garber, executive director of CeaseFire PA; Dr. Andrea Fellerman Kesack; and the Rev. Steve McComas of Rolling Hills United Methodist Church.

"Faith without works is dead," said Sen. Street, who represents North Philadelphia. "Thoughts and prayers ring hollow to the families of every victim without action behind them. This is a uniquely American problem and if we are a civilized nation then the right to bear arms cannot supersede the right to live free from violence.”

Added Sen. Kane, “An assault weapons ban in Pennsylvania just makes sense, and it’s about damn time. It is our responsibility to do everything possible to protect the people and the communities of our districts. By enacting straight forward, and common sense legislation like this, we can ensure a safer environment for the children and families of our commonwealth.”

Sen. Amanda Cappelletti, who represents parts of Delaware and Montgomery counties, told the gathering that she's ready to take action.

"These firearms have been banned before and we must ban them now in order to help solve the public health epidemic that is gun violence," she said. "There is absolutely no one solution to stopping gun violence. We need to enact a host of measures that will safeguard our communities from this toxic and unyielding violence. But every step that we take counts."

Santarsiero’s legislation is modeled after a law that was enacted in Connecticut after the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting. That law is considered to be one the toughest in the nation.

Stollsteimer said it's time for the law enforcement community to begin standing up and being heard on the issue.

“The Second Amendment. That was passed when a military-style weapon was a flintlock rifle. We live in a different world," he said. "The world isn't going to end if we end military-style assault weapons. We used to have an assault weapons ban in this country. And the world was a better place. There was also a lot less massacring of children during that 10 year period than it is today.”

Santarsiero is also the prime sponsor of bills requiring universal background checks (SB 88), self-storage of firearms (SB 581, SB 582), as well as a bill to repeal Pennsylvania’s “Stand Your Ground” law (SB 546).