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Pennsylvania Firearm Owners Association

Articles categorized under “Legislative Update”

New Laws Concerning Carry in National Parks go into Effect

On February 22, 2010 the new law allowing citizens to carry firearms in national parks in accordance to state laws and procedures went into effect.

Visitors may possess firearms within a national park unit provided they comply with federal, state, and local laws. Please remember that federal law prohibits firearms in certain park facilities and buildings. These places should be marked with signs at public entrances.

More info and list of parks per the National Park Service:
http://www.nps.gov/nero/firearms/PA/index.htm

Parks:

Allegheny Portage Railroad National Historic Site

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

Deshler-Morris House

Edgar Allan Poe National Historic Site

Eisenhower National Historic Site

Flight 93 National Memorial

Fort Necessity National Battlefield

Friendship Hill National Historic Site

Gettysburg National Military Park

Gloria Dei Church

Hopewell Furnace National Historic Site

Independence National Historical Park

Johnstown Flood National Memorial

Steamtown National Historic Site

Thaddeus Kosciuszko National Memorial

Upper Delaware Scenic and Recreational River

Valley Forge National Historical Park

Posted by
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Jason E.
Posted on
February 26 2010 11:14:10 AM
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Looking at the 2010 Fallout in Pennsylvania

Legislative retirement announcements have been coming down regularly in recent weeks. Do you know where we stand for gun rights? More importantly, are you registered to vote to do something about it?

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Posted by
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Christie C.
Posted on
January 23 2010 1:58:04 PM
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Castle Doctrine to be Heard in PA House

The House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to hold a hearing on Castle Doctrine legislation on Thursday, November 19. Gun owners should contact the members of the judiciary committee to support the measure – HB40.

This specific Castle Doctrine bill will ensure that law abiding residents don’t have to retreat in their own homes before defending themselves from criminal attack. It also protects citizens from the expense of fighting civil lawsuits filed by criminals or their families when self-defense was justified. Here are key provisions of HB40:

  • The bill eliminates the duty to retreat within one’s home, including attached structures like porches, decks and patios. There is an exception for people who are using their property to further a criminal activity. The provision also applies to vehicles, including non-motorized vehicles.
  • The bill also eliminates the duty to retreat on the streets provided one is in fear of grave bodily injury or harm, and provided they are not engaged in criminal activity.
  • It provides civil immunity for actions that are ruled self-defense. If the perpetrator sues anyway, it’s a loser pays system, so you can recover attorneys fees.
  • HB40 clarifies the definition of loaded firearm to include magazines being secured in a separate pouch, rather than specifying a separate container, provided the magazine is secure, and the ammunition covered.

Contact the members of the House Judiciary Committee today. Based on the response to Castle Doctrine in other states, we know that gun control groups will get involved in this fight, making it seem as if we will have gun fights on every street corner. As we know, such dire predictions have yet to come true. Make sure you voice is heard! Call, e-mail, tweet, or even leave a note on their Facebook walls – just make sure your voice is heard!

Email 11 representatives with two clicks!

Show support for Castle Doctrine on Twitter with two clicks!

Representative Phone Number Alternative Contact
State Rep. Thomas Caltagirone (D-127) (717) 787-3525 Email
State Rep. Deberah Kula (D-52) (717) 772-1858 Email
State Rep. Kathy Manderino (D-194) (717) 787-1254 Email
State Rep. John Pallone (D-54) (717) 783-1819 Email
Facebook Profile
State Rep. Don Walko (D-20) (717) 787-5470 Email
State Rep. Joseph Brennan (D-133) (717) 772-9902 Email
State Rep. James Casorio (D-56) (717) 783-3483 Email
Twitter
State Rep. Paul Drucker (D-157) (717) 705-2003 Email
State Rep. Bryan Lentz (D-161) (717) 787-8574 Email
State Rep. Joseph Petrarca (D-55) (717) 787-5142 Email
State Rep. Josh Shapiro (D-153) (717) 783-7619 Email
Twitter
Facebook Profile
Facebook group
State Rep. Greg Vitali (D-166) (717) 787-7647 Email
State Rep. Chelsa Wagner (D-22) (717) 783-1582 Email
State Rep. Ronald Waters (D-191) (717) 772-9850 Email
State Rep. Jesse White (D-46) (717) 783-6437 Email
Twitter
Facebook Page
State Rep. Ron Marsico (R-105) (717) 783-2014 Email
Facebook Profile
State Rep. Mike Vereb (R-150) (717) 705-7164 Email
Twitter
Official Facebook Profile
Facebook Profile #2
Facebook Profile #3
Facebook Page
State Rep. Tom Creighton (R-37) (717) 772-5290 Email
State Rep. Will Gabig (R-199) (717) 772-2280 Email
State Rep. Dick Stevenson (R-8) (717) 783-6438 Email
State Rep. Glen Grell (R-87) (717) 783-2063 Email
State Rep. Kate Harper (R-61) (717) 787-2801 Email
Facebook Profile
State Rep. Tim Krieger (R-57) (717) 260-6146 Email
State Rep. Bernie O’Neill (R-29) (717) 705-7170 Email
Facebook Profile
Facebook Group
State Rep. Todd Rock (R-90) (717) 783-5218 Email
State Rep. Katie True (R-41) (717) 705-7161 Email
Posted by
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Daniel Pehrson
Posted on
November 11 2009 7:42:46 PM
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Castle Doctrine Introduced

We are very pleased to report that Senator Richard Alloway has introduced the “Castle Doctrine” Bill in the Pennsylvania Senate.  Introduced as Senate Bill 842, it would, according to the NRA, “permit law-abiding citizens to use force, including deadly force, against an attacker in their homes and any places outside of their home where they have a legal right to be.  It is clearly stated that there would be no “duty to retreat” from an attacker, allowing law-abiding citizens to stand their ground to protect themselves and their family.  SB842 would also protect individuals from civil lawsuits by the attacker or the attacker’s family when force is used. ”

This bill stands a good chance of getting heard and passed out of committee if we look at the composition of the Senate Judiciary Committee, but only if we make our voices heard.  Below is a list of committee members with links to contact information, along with their NRA grades, to aid in messaging.

Majority (R)

Minority (D)

Please contact the committee members, and ask that they support this bill.  The question will be where Stu Greenleaf is going to stand on this bill, and whether he’ll want to bring it up.  But pretty clearly, we have a lot of highly rated Republicans on this committee, and we could do worse with the Democrats, so it has a good chance.  Let’s get it passed, get it on Rendell’s desk.  Even if he vetoes it, we can make it a campaign issue in the 2010 Governor’s race.

Posted by
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Keith M.
Posted on
May 27 2009 3:24:52 PM
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Action Needed on D.C. Gun Rights!

Last week, gun owners secured a major victory when 62 Senators – a strong bipartisan majority – voted in favor of an amendment that would repeal Washington DC’s draconian gun laws to a bill that would give the District of Columbia a voting seat in the House of Representatives.  (The new post-Heller laws are nearly as bad as the outright gun ban, and are the subject of yet another lawsuit which has yet to be heard.)  The Senate made clear to the leaders of the District that if they want to have a vote in the United States Congress that they must honor the Bill of Rights.

However, Nancy Pelosi, fearing the same amendment would be added in the House, actually pulled the bill from the calendar in order to have time to pressure members.  This morning, the Washington Post published an article that gives us an idea of what Pelosi’s is doing in the House.  Left-leaning groups are putting pressure on 60 moderate Democrats to try and pull away the 28 votes they need to avoid having the amendment attached on the House floor.  Many Pennsylvania Congressmen are likely in those targeted by these groups.  They are being told that people back home don’t care about gun rights, and that their seats are in no danger from a pro-gun backlash.

This battle over a local Second Amendment issue will have repercussions on the entire country, and will definitely effect the 2010 elections.  It is critically important that gun owners contact their members of Congress.  You can find your member here.  We must demonstrate to Congress that the threat from gun owners is real, and that we are watching what they are doing.

Posted by
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Keith M.
Posted on
March 06 2009 4:49:42 PM
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