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| FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
| State Rep. Babette Josephs |
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Josephs: Decision on who can carry a concealed firearm should be Pa.'s
HARRISBURG, April 26 – State Rep. Babette Josephs, D-Phila., has introduced a bill that would close the so-called "Florida gun loophole" by requiring Pennsylvania residents to obtain a Pennsylvania license in order to carry a concealed firearm.
"While we cannot tell other states how to issue firearm licenses or to whom, we can do so in Pennsylvania for our own residents," Josephs said. "This would serve to protect Commonwealth residents from violent individuals who abuse the current loophole in state law to legally carry guns with an out-of-state permit after being denied one in Pennsylvania.
"Case after case has been documented in which a violent person is denied a permit in Pennsylvania and then successfully applies for a permit in another state, such as Florida. Law-abiding citizens don't seek to circumvent the law like that," she said.
Josephs said that her proposal would not affect gun ownership rights, nor prevent residents of other states with permits from those states from legally carrying a concealed weapon in Pennsylvania.
"It simply would ensure that the Pennsylvania residents who are granted a license to carry have met the standards of our state and not the standards of another state that potentially could be less stringent."
The bill (H.B. 1309) has been referred to the House Judiciary Committee for review.