Two pieces of proposed legislation would ensure greater legal
protection for ordinary citizens using firearms to protect
themselves from bodily harm.

As the debate over gun control continues in Harrisburg, two
local lawmakers have signed onto two landmark pieces of
legislation, which if passed, would implement the traditional
“Castle Doctrine” allowing residents to use deadly force when an
intruder breaks into their home, vehicle or place of business.

Meanwhile, House Bill 2946, would provide victims of domestic
abuse and other types of violent crime with the ability to obtain
an emergency right-to-carry gun permit.

The legislation was discussed during a session of the House
Committee of the Whole on Crime and Violence, which has centered on
a person’s right to buy guns and ammunition.

“We have a right to our firearms and government should not be
enacting additional gun control to take those away from us,” state
Rep. Martin Causer, R-Turtlepoint, said Wednesday. “There is no
doubt we have a crime problem here in Pennsylvania, but gun control
takes guns away from law abiding citizens. We already have laws in
place prohibiting criminals from having guns.”

The “no retreat” approach Castle Doctrine – House Bill 2231 –
would strengthen laws dealing with the use of lethal force for the
purposes of self-defense. The legislation is based on similar law
enacted in Florida and nine other states that would eliminate the
duty to retreat before using lethal force outside a person’s home
or vehicle as long as they demonstrate a reasonable belief that he
or she was in imminent danger and lethal force was necessary.

Chiefly, the legislation would offer specific protection against
civil liberty for the lawful use of force in self-defense. It would
also clarify several provisions of current firearm law relating to
the transportation of weapons as well as the possession of weapons
by law enforcement and licensed individuals.

“Public safety is a concern that we must all hold first and
foremost to maintain our civilized society,” state Rep. Kathy Rapp,
R-Warren, said. “No matter how well-intended, gun control activists
and their supporters in the state House have the wrong ideas about
how to go about reducing violent crimes committed by those who
obtain their weapons illegally.”

Meanwhile, a second piece of legislation would allow any
individual who could demonstrate evidence of imminent danger to
themselves or a member of their family to be entitled to a
temporary emergency license to carry a firearm after passing a
computerized background check of criminal history, juvenile
delinquency and mental health records.

Officials said the temporary license would be good for 90 days
to allow sufficient time to apply for a regular license to carry a
firearm and undergo the potential 45-day waiting period for a
license to carry under current state law.

“When an uninvited intruder invades your personal property or
endangers your personal safety, it only makes sense to defend your
life and the lives of your loved ones by any means necessary,” Rapp
said.

Both lawmakers voted against advancing any legislation for
future consideration that would limit handgun purchases to one per
month along with ammunition; ban assault weapons; eliminate
statewide pre-emption against local firearm ordinances; institute
mandatory reporting of multiple firearm purchases and legalize gun
registries containing confidential information on law-abiding
citizens such as mailing addresses and Social Security numbers;
impose criminal penalties against victims of lost or stolen
firearms; or mandate unproven and self-defense hindering trigger
locks.

In defense of his stance, Causer – whose constituents include
sportsmen – said there are residents across his district that
legally collect firearms, including assault weapons.

“Most gun-related crimes are committed with guns that were
purchased illegally,” Causer said, adding the solution to the
problem of gun violence is adding more cops to the streets to
enforce existing laws.

The lawmaker said the debate in the Legislature has really been
shaped by the Philadelphia delegation, where serious crime had
grown. Causer said over the past three years, the number of cops in
Philadelphia has been cut by 600 officers.

The shooting at a rural Amish schoolhouse earlier this week
illustrates the fact that firearm violence can happen anywhere.

“Law enforcement in our area does a good job,” Causer said, “but
things like that really send a message that is could happen
anywhere, even our rural area.”

According to Causer, proposed legislation to increase the
state’s police ranks was introduced during the committee meetings.
He added more than 100 bills were considered for potential adoption
in the future.