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Respectfully urging the Pennsylvania General Assembly to approve House Bill 1010 which would require background checks for the private sale of long guns.
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WHEREAS, Under federal law, an individual must undergo a background check when purchasing a gun from a federally licensed gun dealer, but not when purchasing a gun from a private seller; and
WHEREAS, Under Pennsylvania law, an individual must undergo a background check when purchasing a handgun from a private seller, but current law does not require a background check for individuals purchasing long guns, including rifles, shotguns, and assault rifles, from private sellers; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 1010 would eliminate the background check exemption for purchasers of long guns from private gun sellers, therefore requiring almost every gun purchase to include a background check; and
WHEREAS, Background checks serve as one safeguard preventing felons, domestic abusers and individuals with severe mental illness from purchasing firearms. According to CeaseFirePA, in 2012, nine thousand prohibited purchases were prevented by the Pennsylvania background check system, and two million prohibited purchases have been stopped nationwide since 1998; and
WHEREAS, Ten other states in the United States mandate background checks for individuals purchasing handguns and long guns from private sellers; and
WHEREAS, According to Mayors Against Illegal Guns, at least 50 percent of the homicides committed against Pennsylvania law enforcement officers involve long guns, and, nationally, long guns were used to commit at least 3,918 homicides over the last five years for which data is available; and
WHEREAS, House Bill 1010 was introduced by Pennsylvania State Representative Steve Santarsiero and has been co-sponsored by more than 60 state legislators, seven of whom are Republican; and
WHEREAS, It is crucial that the Pennsylvania General Assembly pass House Bill 1010 so that it can take steps to ensure that prohibited individuals are prevented from purchasing rifles, shotguns and assault rifles in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; now, therefore
RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA, That the City Council of the City of Philadelphia hereby respectfully urges the Pennsylvania General Assembly to approve House Bill 1010 which would require background checks for the private sale of long guns.
FURTHER RESOLVED, That copies of this Resolution be forwarded to the Majority and Minority leadership of the Pennsylvania General Assembly and the Philadelphia Delegation of the Pennsylvania General Assembly as evidence of the grave concern of this legislative body.
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