Washington Week: Student Voices (O)

Philadelphia passes disputed gun control laws
By Jordan Osecki
The Triangle (Drexel U.)
05/11/2007

(U-WIRE) PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia City Council unanimously passed eight gun control laws on May 3, and has filled suit against the state General Assembly for control over city gun regulations.

The bills include measures that will keep a citywide gun registry, limit gun purchases to one per month, punish those who do not report lost or stolen weapons and prevent "straw purchases," among other measures.

A straw purchase is when an individual eligible to own a gun purchases one and then transfers it illegally to someone with a criminal record who otherwise could not own a gun.

Another component of the council's plan would require ammunition sales to be monitored by the Philadelphia Police Department. The legislation also calls for banning some assault weapons and mandatory reporting of lost or stolen guns to the PPD.

The city council is seeking the authority to regulate gun laws within Philadelphia. Gun laws are currently under state jurisdiction. "While Pa. has a very large number of gun owners and hunters, in Philadelphia, Pittsburgh and in several other urban areas, guns are being used to kill humans, not animals. There is a difference between urban and rural Pa. that needs to be recognized," said Julia Hall, coordinator of the criminal justice program at Drexel University.

"The state has the duty to protect the citizens of Philadelphia, and they aren't doing everything they can to do so," according to William Carter, the Chief Legislative Aide for Councilman Darrell L. Clarke.

These gun laws, according to Carter, will go a long way toward curbing gun violence and the homicide rate.

Joe Grace, spokesman for Mayor John Street, told the Northeast Pennsylvania News that Street is expected to sign the bills this week and supports the "legislative efforts to reduce and prevent gun violence in Philadelphia."

Virginia and New York have seen a reduction in gun violence since adopting a one-gun-per-month law, and Carter pointed at how New York City, an area with 8 million people, has fewer homicides so far this year than Philadelphia (a city of approximately 1.5 million).

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