This Inaction Comes After Terrible Shooting on South Street in Philadelphia, in Which 3 People were Shot and Killed and Almost a Dozen Were Wounded, and Amidst Daily Gun Violence Impacting Pennsylvania Communities
The Pennsylvania chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots networks, released the following statement after gun lobby allies on the House Judiciary Committee stalled a number of potentially life-saving gun safety bills during a hearing on Monday morning, including bills to require secure storage of firearms, prohibit assault weapons, end punitive preemption, and establish an extreme risk protection order (ERPO) system in the state.
“Now is not the time to block progress on gun safety, but Republicans on the House Judiciary Committee are more interested in advancing the gun lobby’s agenda than protecting Pennsylvania communities,” said Amy Sarno, a volunteer with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action. “These bills are some of the first common sense gun safety measures we’ve seen from the legislature this session, and their passage is crucial to helping end this gun violence crisis. We are disappointed in the committee’s decision today and we call on Republicans in the legislature to take gun safety seriously so we can start saving lives.”
This morning’s hearing came after a shooting in one of Philadelphia’s most popular neighborhoods last week, which left 3 people dead and 11 others wounded. That shooting is one of many instances of horrific gun violence that have occurred in-state and across the country in recent weeks.
In an average year in Pennsylvania, 1,628 people die by guns, and 3,058 more are wounded by guns. Gun violence costs Pennsylvania $12.1 billion each year, of which $567.4 million is paid by taxpayers. More information on gun violence in Pennsylvania is available here.