Common Sense Gun Control

On March 23, 2013, in Huntingdon County, Hollie Ayer’s estranged husband shot and killed her two-year-old son and then himself.  Hollie had a final protection order against her husband, but it did not require him to turn in his guns.  Last year, 57 Pennsylvanians were shot in domestic violence incidents.  That is over half of all of domestic violence victims who were killed.  People issued final protection from Abuse orders (PFA) from judges should not have access to their guns.  This seems like a pretty clear concept.  However, PA allows this to happen and our legislators have the opportunity to change this.

Domestic Violence Victim Services organizations like Transitions are hoping that the PA Senate will make some common sense changes to laws that have long been opposed by the “gun lobby.” Our Senators are considering how to keep victims of abuse and their children safe.  How the process works in Harrisburg and in Washington, D.C., is that the “gun lobby” rates elected officials on how they vote on gun control legislation.  It would be a blessing if they decide not to rate how Legislators vote.   Legislators do not want to be “rated” for ‘citizens information when they vote next time.  It will be interesting to see if the “gun lobby” will be reasonable regarding SB501, a bill that is being considered by the current PA Senate Judiciary Committee. 

For many years, the PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) has been supporting legislation that determines how quickly individuals with final PFA’s must turn over their guns after the order is given by the judge.  The law currently allows people with final PFA’s to take up to 60 days to turn over their weapons.  Not only are they allowed two months to do it, but they can turn over their guns to gun dealers, law enforcement, or even their family members.  This allows too much time and family members are not necessarily going to keep the guns away from the alleged abuser.  

SB501 would require that within 48 hours, guns would have to be turned over to law enforcement or to a licensed dealer.  Sen. Yaw has indicated he will vote in favor of the bill in its current form which he recently told me was an easy decision.   This is clearly a common sense approach to gun possession that proves that our elected representatives want to make our communities safer.  We at Transitions applaud him for taking a position. 

Please remember, contacts from people like you to your Senators and Representatives.  For four years, I was the Regional Coordinator for Congressman Chris Carney and if we received numerous letters, we paid attention!  The typical number we used was 25 contacts.   Given what is happening nationwide after the Parkland killings, it seems like time to be taking a stand for domestic violence victims. 

         

Written by Susan Mathias, CEO