Newtown Twp Passes Resolution In Support Of Gun Safety Measures

The Newtown Township Board of Supervisors last week passed a resolution aimed to announce support for tighter gun safety measures.

The resolution, which passed by a 4 to 1 vote on June 13, says the township believes additional gun safety laws are needed to protect the safety of its residents. It further urges the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the United States Congress to enact laws to reduce gun violence.

Republican Supervisor Kyle Davis was the only board member to vote no. He called the resolution "too vague." He challenged the validity of several of its goals, saying some points suggested in the resolution were inaccurate.

But Supervisors Chairman Phil Calabro said the resolution is not a law, but rather an emphasis that the township supports gun safety measures.

The specific gun safety laws the township supports as outlined in the resolution include:

• Preventing known and suspected terrorists, those convicted of violent hate crimes and those with a history of domestic abuse from legally buying guns.
• Ensuring that background checks are required on all gun sales, including online and at gun shows. In Pennsylvania, preserve the provisions of the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) which provides instant access to background records.
• Funding research into the effects of gun violence and gun safety technology.
• Requiring trigger locks on all firearms in homes where children are present.
• Requiring that lost or stolen firearms be reported to law enforcement with 72 hours of the discovery of loss or theft.
• Banning access to bump-stocks.
• Banning access to assault-style rifles.
• Reducing the number of permissible cartridges in a clip or magazine.
• Allowing courts to issue firearm restraining orders, prohibiting any named person from having in his custody or control, purchasing, possessing or receiving any firearm of ammunition, and making any such firearm restraining orders mandatory in conjunction with any protection from abuse order.

The resolution will be distributed to President Donald Trump, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf, senators Robert Casey and Patrick Toomey, Congressman Brian Fitzpatrick, State Senator Charles McIlhinney, and State Representative Perry Warren.

Click here to see the full discussion at the June 13 meeting.

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