The Pennsylvania state Senate approved legislation that would give gun groups, including the NRA, standing in court to sue municipalities that enact illegal gun laws, and the Governor has said he’ll sign it. Democrats in the state are furious.

Via Washington Free Beacon:

Pennsylvania Democrats are outraged after a bill was passed that allows gun rights groups like the NRA to sue localities for passing laws that violate state law. Many such Democrats said a provision forcing localities that lose lawsuits to pay the legal fees of the plaintiffs is particularly objectionable. … TRENDING: Federal Government Sues Kroger for Allegedly Firing 2 Workers Who Refused To Wear LGBT-Linked Symbol

Pennsylvania state law explicitly states that localities may not create their own gun laws. Section 6120 of the state’s Uniform Firearms Act says “no county, municipality, or township may in any manner regulate the lawful ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of firearms, ammunition or ammunition components when carried or transported for purposes not prohibited by the laws of this Commonwealth.” Localities like Philadelphia and Pittsburgh have passed gun restrictions despite that language. That’s why backers of the new bill say it is necessary. “This is just clarifying current law,” Senate President Pro Tem Joe Scarnati (R., Jefferson) told the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. “It’s about consistency of gun laws.”

Philly.com has more:

Opponents say the bill blows up the definition of “standing,” which stipulates that there must be a victim identified, and creates a dangerous precedent. “If you are a resident of Forest County and you don’t like the Norristown gun law,” said Sen. Daylin Leach (D., Montgomery), “you could hire Johnnie Cochran and bill a township $100,000 an hour or whatever he charges to win the case.”

Bill supporters said the state constitution already establishes that firearms laws must be uniform, that changes are to be made by the General Assembly, and that existing local laws are unconstitutional. “We can’t have a crazy quilt of laws,” said Rep. Jeff Pyle (R., Armstrong). Former Gov. Ed Rendell, a gun control advocate who has worked with the advocacy group CeasefirePA, has vowed to target in the Nov. 4 election Southeastern Pennsylvania lawmakers who voted for the measure.

Do you think more states should do this?

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