Wolf To Shoot Down PA Senate Concealed Carry Bill

HARRISBURG, PA — Gov. Tom Wolf is vowing to veto two controversial gun bills approved by the state Senate Tuesday. One would allow people to carry concealed loaded guns without a permit; the other would penalize municipalities that adopt firearms laws that are stricter than state law.

The bill relaxing the concealed carry law also would drop the legal age for getting the permit from 21 to 18 and also would eliminate Philadelphia's permit requirement for concealed carry. The measure was approved largely along partisan lines in a 29-21 vote, with one GOP senator voting no and one Democratic senator voting in favor.

The other bill would expand the ability to sue a municipality over its firearms ordinances and collect financial damages if the municipality loses a court challenge. It passed 31-19 with the approval of all Republicans and two Democrats.

Wolf condemned the concealed carry bill as an attempt to dismantle the state's system for responsible gun ownership.

"We need to stop this nonsense," he said. "We should question why we would want anyone who hasn’t undergone a background check to carry a concealed weapon. We should question politicians who turn a blind eye to the fact that states without concealed carry permits have an 11 percent higher rate of homicide than those with discretion.”

Rather than relax gun control laws, Wolf said the state should adopt more stringent standards to try to reduce gun violence.

“I have repeatedly called on the General Assembly to act for the communities across Pennsylvania facing daily terrors of gun violence," he said "This is not the common sense legislation that the more than 1,600 victims of gun violence each year in Pennsylvania deserve. Pennsylvanians deserve safety. Republicans are dealing them peril with this irresponsible bill.”

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