So many of our Pennsylvania communities, both suburban and rural, are being flooded with stolen guns and the related violence. In March alone, a serial straw purchaser — someone who legally purchases guns to resell them illegally — was convicted on 34 counts of illegal firearms transfer brought by the Bucks County District Attorney’s Office.
Under current PA law, firearm owners are not required to report the loss or theft of a firearm to law enforcement. Between 2006 and 2016, the number of guns stolen from individuals across the U.S. increased by 60 percent.
A “lost or stolen gun” reporting law would require gun owners to report the theft or loss of a gun within 72 hours of discovering it is missing, encouraging responsible gun ownership by holding owners accountable.
It would allow law enforcement to stop the flow of illegal firearms into our communities through trafficking methods like straw purchasing. Measures like this have cut illegal gun movement by 46% in other states.
I am calling upon my elected state officials Sen. Frank Farry, R-6, and Rep. Kristin Marcell, R-178, to sign on as co-sponsors to state Sen. Christine Tartaglione’s and state representatives Ben Sanchez’s and Malcolm Kenyatta’s bills: HB 338 (House) and SB 461 (Senate).
Will you do the same?
Aileen Bochanski, Holland
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