Four ballot questions, including three proposed constitutional amendments, will appear on the May 18 Primary ballot in PA.

• The first two questions will add two amendments to the PA constitution, giving the PA Legislature more say and the governor less say in determining the extension or termination of disaster emergency declarations. These questions stem from the Legislature’s inability to curb Governor Tom Wolf’s COVID pandemic abuses. If approved by the voters, the two questions will amend the PA Constitution to give the legislature emergency declaration/termination authority that it currently does not have.
• The third question will add an amendment in the PA constitution guaranteeing that a person’s rights under the law cannot be denied because of race or ethnicity.  This question is restricted to race & ethnicity only.

Note: Attempts to include gender identity in this question were rejected during the
legislative process to place the question on the ballot.

• The 4th question will determine whether the state loan program for volunteer fire companies & emergency services will be expanded to include paidfire departments and emergency services.

        Paid fire departments and emergency services currently have income from taxes
and/or insurance & individual billing.  This is different from volunteer fire companies,
volunteer ambulance services and volunteer rescue squads in PA which raise their own
funds and have unpaid staff.

Note: Many paid emergency ambulance services are privately owned companies, even though they may carry a municipal name.

Ballot Question 1

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law and increase the power of the General Assembly to unilaterally terminate or extend a disaster emergency declaration—and the powers of Commonwealth agencies to address the disaster regardless of its severity pursuant to that declaration—through passing a concurrent resolution by simple majority, thereby removing the existing check and balance of presenting a resolution to the Governor for approval or disapproval?

Ballot Question 2

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended to change existing law so that: a disaster emergency declaration will expire automatically after 21 days, regardless of the severity of the emergency, unless the General Assembly takes action to extend the disaster emergency; the Governor may not declare a new disaster emergency to respond to the dangers facing the Commonwealth unless the General Assembly passes a concurrent resolution; the General Assembly enacts new laws for disaster management?

Ballot Question 3

Shall the Pennsylvania Constitution be amended by adding a new section providing that equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged because of an individual’s race or ethnicity?

Ballot Question 4

Do you favor expanding the use of the indebtedness authorized under the referendum for loans to volunteer fire companies, volunteer ambulance services and volunteer rescue squads under 35 PA.C.S. §7378.1 (related to referendum for additional indebtedness) to include loans to municipal fire departments or companies that provide services through paid personnel and emergency medical services companies for the purpose of establishing and modernizing facilities to house apparatus equipment, ambulances and rescue vehicles, and for purchasing apparatus equipment, ambulances and rescue vehicles, protective and communications equipment and any other accessory equipment necessary for the proper performance of the duties of the fire companies and emergency medical services companies? 

Author’s Note:

A YES vote on the first two questions is recommended because Governor Wolf’s unchecked power caused extensive damage to PA’s economy during the COVID pandemic & demonstrates the failings of not having a check & balance in place for emergency declarations in state government.

The equality question is strictly defined to race & ethnicity; a YES vote is recommended.

A NO vote is recommended on the state loan expansion question.  Paid services are entirely different from volunteer services.  Taxpayer-funded loans should apply to services which have limited sources of income, not to supplement services with established revenue flow.

Independents, non-affiliated voters, and members of minor parties can only vote on the ballot questions in the primary election and are urged to do so. 

Please feel free to share this widely, as very little is being published about all four questions.

It is urgent that we, the voter, are informed & vote on these questions in the May 18th primary, or the parties will ultimately decide these issues for us.

See Americans for Prosperity for further discussion on Ballot Questions 1, 2, & 3

https://americansforprosperity.org/americans-for-prosperity-pennsylvania-launches-campaign-to-reduce-governors-emergency-powers-in-primary-election/

 

If you don’t know that your freedom, especially the 2nd Amendment, is under a full frontal assault by the Biden Administration and the current anti-gun Democrat congress, you’d better wake up. Wake up fast and get involved.

Two anti-gun bills passed the House last week and are now in the Senate for consideration. Read the following excerpts from FOAC’s March Newsletter, (Click here for complete newsletter) then contact your Senators and the additional Senator on the list to voice your opinion. Tell them in no uncertain terms that you want them to vote NO!!! on these bills

FOAC March Newsletter Excerpts

HR 8 Titled “Bipartisan Background Checks Act Of 2021” Is Dangerous to Your Ability to Defend Yourself-The Life You Save May Be Your Own

THIS bill, ostensibly referred to as a “universal background check act”, is in actuality UNIVERSAL GUN REGISTRATION that history has shown us eventually leads to Universal Gun Confiscation. This is not guesswork or supposition because cities and states that have universal gun registration have passed laws that have allowed government to go door-to-door and take firearms (i.e. New York City, California, etc.). These bills are being rushed through Congress at breakneck speed. In point of fact neither this bill or HR 1446 were listed in the schedule for being brought up today, March 11.

Congress is locked and loaded with a full magazine of Liberty stealing bills and your civil liberties are in their sights. This is but one bullet in their arsenal intended to separate you from your God given choice to defend yourself!

YOUR IMMEDIATE ACTION IS REQUIRED TO STOP THIS BILL NOW in the Senate

Make no mistake about it, this proposed bill is a push to CRIMINALIZE YOUR ABILITY TO PROTECT YOURSELF from the violent criminals who DON’T bother with background checks.

The most dangerous cities in America have the strictest gun control laws. Any act that infringes on your ability to purchase or use a firearm puts YOU AT RISK OF BECOMING THE NEXT VICTIM of a violent attack.

As if HR 8 wasn’t bad enough there is a companion bill HR 1446 being pushed by the same leftists to infringe upon your right to your personal safety that allows the FBI to indefinitely delay background checks gun transfers-slow walking long enough that you might never be allowed to receive your firearm.

Some spineless Republicans in the House seeking THEIR peace and bipartisanship over YOUR SAFETY may be swayed to approve these bills and influence the Republican Senators to join in their cowardice.

This is SERIOUS – in one database the government will know who you are, what guns you own and all that will be missing is that knock on your door and, in one fell swoop, your inalienable God given rights to keep and bear arms will not only have been infringed upon but stolen. THERE IS NO GRANDFATHER CLAUSE.

Nancy Pelosi and her leftist gang with their armed body guards (guns for me but not for thee) will sleep soundly at night while you hide in a closet with no means of self-defense should you hear strange footsteps in the hall.

Stay Free!

Kim Stolfer, President

HR-8 – Bipartisan Background Checks Act of 2021

Description: Establishes new background check requirements for firearm transfers between private parties. Specifically, it prohibits a firearm transfer between private parties unless a licensed gun dealer, manufacturer, or importer first takes possession of the firearm to conduct a background check.

Senator Pat Toomey

WASHINGTON, D.C. Office

455 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C 20510

Phone: (202) 224-4254

Fax: (202) 228-0284

 PITTSBURGH, PA Office

310 Grant Street, Suite 1440

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: (412) 803-3501

Fax: (412) 803-3504

Email: https://www.toomey.senate.gov/contact/email-senator-toomey

Senator Bob Casey

WASHINGTON, D.C. Office

393 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, D.C. 20510

Phone: (202) 224-6324

Fax: (202) 228-0604

PITTSBURGH, PA Office

310 Grant Street, Suite 2415

Pittsburgh, PA 15219

Phone: (412) 803-7370

Fax: (412) 803-7379

Email: https://www.casey.senate.gov/contact

Senator Mitch McConnell, Senate Minority Leader

317 Russell Senate Office Building

Washington, DC 20510

Phone: (202) 224-2541

Fax: (202) 224-2499

Email: https://www.mcconnell.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contactform

 

HR-1446 – Enhanced Background Checks Act of 2021

Description: Revises background check requirements applicable to proposed firearm transfers from a federal firearms licensee (e.g., a licensed gun dealer) to an unlicensed person. Specifically, it increases the amount of time, from 3 business days to a minimum of 10 business days.

Contact Information

First, Contact your two Pennsylvania Senators and tell them in no uncertain terms the you want them to vote NO!!! On both HR-8 and HR-1446.

Then contact the additional listed Senator to increase your impact

You might consider some of these Senators a lost cause, but contact them anyway. We must make our voices heard.

If you have questions you can contact:

Bob Oles              724-709-5669 roles120@reagan.com

Craig Holdren  724-312-7463 craig@craigholdren.com

With a growing number of states taking action to nullify unconstitutional executive orders from the Biden administration, Representative Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) has once again introduced his Right to Bear Arms Protection Act (House Bill 357) that seeks to make any additional federal gun control laws unenforceable within the Commonwealth.

Constitutional Carry (no bill # yet) (59 Cosponsors)- PA Rep. Aaron Bernstine. His district covers portions of Beaver, Butler, & Lawrence Counties. As long as you’re a lawful gun owner, acting in a lawful manner, you can carry concealed without a “License To Carry Firearms.” Let’s face it, only the law abiding folks bother to get a LTCF. See Cosponsorship memo for additional details.

Repeal & Replace PA Instant Check System, HB280 (21 Cosponsors)- PA Rep. Jason Ortitay. His district covers portions of Washington and Allegheny Counties. The PICS system is so bad, millions will have to be spent to bring it up to speed. A PICS check for a firearm purchase also includes a check with NICS by the PA State Police. So why the duplication? See Cosponsorship memo for additional details.

Preemption over local firearms and ammunition regulations (no bill # yet) (43 Cosponsors) – PA State Rep. Matthew Dowling. His district is in Somerset County. If you run afoul of an illegal local ordinance, you’ll be able to sue that local municipality to recover your legal fees and lost income. See Cosponsorship memo for additional details.

The following bill may not appear 2nd Amendment oriented, but it gets to the core of freedom, that is, the right to free and fair elections.

Abolish the No Excuse Mail In Vote, HB25 (23 Cosponsors) – PA State Rep. Mike Puskaric. His district covers portions of Washington & Allegheny Counties. With the mass confusion and mail-in ballot irregularities in the last election, along with the Governor’s will to overstep and chip away at the separation of powers, and the Pennsylvania Supreme Court having no problem overstepping its boundaries, this situation needs correcting. See Cosponsorship memo for additional details.

Expert Warns Biden Has Launched ‘Four-Prong Attack Against’ Second Amendment, Advises How To Respond Link to Article

1. Universal registration system
2. Banning of assault weapons and then defining assault weapons as almost any semi-automatic firearm
3. Banning magazines that hold more than 10 rounds
4. Gun manufacturer can be sued

The 117th U.S. Congress has filed a half dozen gun control measures with the House Judiciary Committee and includes Rep. Bobby Rush’s (D-Ill.) H.R.30, which would punish and deter firearms trafficking and Rep. Al Green’s (D-Texas) H.R.167, which would prohibit the transfer of a firearm at a gun show by a person who is not a federally licensed firearms dealer.

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) has filed four gun control bills including H.R.127, which would require the licensing of firearm and ammunition possession and the registration of firearms and to prohibit the possession of certain ammunition.

Consider H.R. 127 “The Gun Apocalypse” because the bill would require expensive psychological evaluations for multiple family members before being able to purchase a gun among other even more draconian restrictions

 

The Radical Anti-Gun Bill the Democrats Are Trying to Push Through

By Warner Todd Huston  February 6, 2021

The Democrats are push a very extreme anti-gun bill that includes confiscation, ammunition bans, registration, and mental health exams.

Extremist, left-wing Democrat Rep. Shelia Jackson Lee (TX) has introduced H.R.127, one of the most radical anti-gun bills ever pushed into Congress.

The bill summary says H.R.127 aims to “provide for the licensing of firearm and ammunition possession and the registration of firearms, and to prohibit the possession of certain ammunition.”

The bill would give the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) vast new powers, including the power to prevent Americans from owning certain guns and ammunition.

The bill would force gun owners to tell the federal government exactly what they own and where they keep it. The ATF will force gun owners to get expensive “training” and can strip gun owners of their “licenses” if they aren’t satisfied.

The bill also says that the ATF will share its information with all federal and state agencies as well as the military.

Per the Daily Wire:

In order to obtain a license to possess a firearm, an individual would need to be at least 21 years old and, in addition to undergoing a background check, would require that the individual undergo “a psychological evaluation” which could potentially involve “other members of the household in which the individual resides.” Under the bill, a person could have their constitutionally protected right to keep and bear arms stripped from them if they’ve been hospitalized with a wide range of psychiatric disorders, including depression.

The bill also bans ammunition of .50 caliber and larger. It also bans magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.

The bill also forces gun owners to pay an $800 fee to the government for indemnity insurance “against liability for losses and damages resulting from the use of any firearm by the person during the 1-year period that begins with the date the policy is issued.”

The goal here is to ban a large number of guns — including AR15s and their like — and to make owning a gun so expensive that most people won’t be able to do it.

Follow Warner Todd Huston on Facebook at: facebook.com/Warner.Todd.Huston.

Warner Todd Huston

Warner Todd Huston has been writing editorials and news since 2001 but started his writing career penning articles about U.S. history back in the early 1990s. Huston has appeared on Fox News, Fox Business Network, CNN, and several local Chicago News programs to discuss the issues of the day. Additionally, he is a regular guest on radio programs from coast to coast. Huston has also been a Breitbart News contributor since 2009. Warner works out of the Chicago area, a place he calls a “target rich environment” for political news.

Link to Article

https://greatamericanpolitics.com/2021/02/the-radical-anti-gun-bill-the-democrats-are-trying-to-push-through/

 

All 2nd Amendment Supporters / Gun Owners,

With all of the chaos and riots going on in our country, and liberal, socialist oriented politicians sitting back not only letting it happen but encouraging it, I sure hope all of you are more attuned to the necessity of our Right To Keep & Bear Arms. This right, like any right, needs to be defended. An opportunity do just that is coming to Pennsylvanians, 11:00am Tuesday, September 29th at the Capitol Building in Harrisburg. Please see the attached flyer.

Important Points:

• Transportation to the rally will be made individually by each person going. There have been no buses leased for the trip from Beaver County that I’m aware of. There are a number of parking garages in Harrisburg that are within walking distance of the Capitol Building.  https://parkharrisburg.com

• At this point, the Capitol Building will be open. Also at this point, there is not a centrally organized “Team Meetings” for legislators. Individual attendees can make those arrangements for themselves and friends. Target your home Representative and Senator first.

• Legislation to focus on:
  • HB-1747, Pro-Gun. Legislation drafted by Rep. Matthew Dowling (R-Fayette/Somerset) that would remove restrictions on firearms during an emergency declaration. FOAC, 9/12/20 Newsletter, see HB-1747 Section.  GOA Article   NRA Alert
  • HB-2440, Pro-Gun. Designates shooting ranges, sportsman clubs, hunting facilities and businesses relating to the sale and production of firearms and ammunition as life-sustaining. This will prevent the closure of these facilities during an emergency declaration. GOA Alert HB-1747 & HB-2440 
  • HB-307, Anti-Gun. Assault Weapons Ban. This legislation bans a broad cross-section of gas operated firearms. Refer to FOAC 2019-2020 Anti-Gun Legislation, Item #1
  • HB-768, Anti-Gun. This bill would mandate that ALL firearms must be registered and taxed annually ($10) with the PA State Police. Refer to FOAC 2019-2020 Anti-Gun Legislation Item #4

If you have questions you can contact:

Bob Oles                      724-709-5669  roles120@reagan.com

Craig Holdren  724-312-7463  craig@craigholdren.com

You are invited to join the Second Amendment supporters who still plan to attend and STAND for our RIGHTS.

Join us Monday, June 8th at 10 AM on the Harrisburg Capitol steps.

“We the People” desire a peaceful assembly. There have been reports that agitators will try to disrupt this event to silence our right to free speech and assembly.

But, we are free men and will not be bullied by leftists and anarchists who are threatening us. We will demonstrate peacefully as is our right.

Speakers who will be in attendance (more may be added later) include:

Dr. Val Finnell, Pennsylvania Director for Gun Owners of America

Representative David Maloney (R-130), GOA “A+” rated candidate.

Rick Saccone, former Representative in the General Assembly and former Congressional candidate

Open and concealed carry is permitted because the rally is outside the Capitol building. As a reminder, you are required by law to have a License to Carry Firearms (LTCF) to carry openly or concealed during a state of emergency.

Come join us!

In liberty,

Dr. Val Finnell

Pennsylvania Director

Gun Owners of America