Kampf-Supported Legislation Receives Backing from National Gun Violence Prevention and Statewide Law Enforcement Organizations
HARRISBURG--The nation’s major gun reform organizations as well as the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association and the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association have endorsed
House Bill 2227, of which Rep. Warren Kampf (R-Montgomery/Chester) is a prime co-sponsor. Rep. Todd Stephens is the author of the bill.
House Bill 2227 would help families and law enforcement to better prevent suicides and gun violence by creating an Extreme Risk Protective Order (ERPO) also known as “Red Flag” legislation.
“It is common sense that one way to prevent gun violence is to identify those who pose a threat to themselves or others,” Kampf said. “This legislation creates a way for law enforcement or family members to ask the courts to temporarily prohibit certain individuals from possessing firearms, and to relinquish any firearms they may currently possess. This will prevent them from doing harm with a gun.”
The proposed legislation would allow a court to take the precautions necessary when provided with clear and convincing evidence the subject poses an extreme risk to him or herself, or others. If a court issues an ERPO prohibiting an individual from possessing firearms, that information would be promptly submitted to the Pennsylvania State Police to prevent the individual from purchasing firearms as well. The legislation also ensures the protection of a subject’s constitutional right to a full hearing.
Endorsing the legislation are: the Pennsylvania Chiefs of Police Association; Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence, founded following the shooting of U.S. Rep. Gabby Giffords and committed to stemming the national gun death epidemic; the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association; CeaseFire PA, a statewide organization that works with mayors, police chiefs, churches and community organizations in standing against gun violence; Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, created to demand action from legislatures, companies, and educational institutions to establish common-sense gun reforms; and Everytown for Gun Safety.
“We can prevent tragedies by ensuring that those who have been determined to pose a significant risk of suicide or causing significant injury to someone else do not have access to firearms,” said Berks County District Attorney John Adams, president of the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Association. “We applaud this bipartisan effort to make our communities safer.”
“The daily toll of gun violence coupled with heartbreaking mass shootings like those in Parkland and Santa Fe make it clear we need to do more to keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people,” said David Chipman, senior policy advisor at Giffords. “It’s time we give law enforcement and families the tools they need to make sure that someone who is experiencing a crisis can’t get their hands on a firearm. This legislation would go a long way toward keeping Pennsylvanian communities and those serving them safer.”
Under House Bill 2227, a court could immediately issue a temporary ERPO, but it must follow up with a full expedited hearing where the subject of the order may participate and offer evidence and testimony before a final order is issued. Final orders must be as short as safety allows but may not last more than one year.
Under this process, a district attorney could represent the petitioner, while a public defender could represent the respondent at the hearing for a final order. The bill will also impose criminal penalties on any person who files a petition for an ERPO that contains false statements.
“As I stated when I proposed this and other commonsense legislation to address gun violence, we must put aside hardened beliefs to find common ground, build bipartisan support, and achieve real results,” Kampf said. “This bill does just that and is supported by groups with differing views on the issue of guns. I am hopeful we can move this legislation forward quickly to give our citizens and law enforcement another tool to prevent gun violence.”
Reps. Warren Kampf and Todd Stephens join officials from the nation’s gun reform organizations in urging the passage of legislation to help families and law enforcement better prevent suicides and gun violence by creating an Extreme Risk Protective Order.
Representative Warren Kampf
157th District
Pennsylvania House of Representatives
Media Contact: David Foster
267.207.0207
dfoster@pahousegop.com
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