LETTER TO THE EDITOR	FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
State Rep. Cherelle Parker D-Philadelphia www.pahouse.com/parker

July 15, 2009

To the Editor:

As state representative of the 200^th Legislative District, I am extremely concerned about pending federal legislation (S. 845/H.R. 1620, the Concealed Carry Reciprocity Act of 2009) that would allow someone from one state to carry a concealed firearm in another state.

Let me make this clear: I do not stand alone against this proposal. I am the national co-chair of the Pennsylvania Chapter of the State Legislators Against Illegal Guns (SLAIG). This bipartisan alliance of Democrats and Republicans exists to keep guns and criminals indelibly separate.

If S.B. 845/H.R.1620 is enacted, SLAIG has determined that three detrimental effects would inevitably follow: (1) states’ ability to make commonsense gun legislation would quickly diminish; (2) gun owners who are licensed to carry a concealed weapon in the issuing state would then be permitted to carry in another state, even if the individual would be ineligible for a permit in the state in which he/she is carrying; and (3) gun traffickers would "shop" for states with the most lenient standards and simply transport illegal guns beyond state lines.

I urge members of Congress to carefully consider the impact that this legislation would have on state legislators’ ability to draft and implement laws that are important to our constituency.

Cherelle L. Parker

State Representative

200^th Legislative District