PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - In a 6-3 vote Wednesday morning, Pittsburgh City Council gave preliminary approval to its controversial gun control bills.
The measures would ban the use of military-style assault rifles and accessories and would allow courts to take weapons from people who pose an “extreme risk.”
Councilman Corey O’Connor told KDKA Radio’s Larry and John before the vote the restrictions wouldn’t affect handguns and most rifles.
O'Connor believes recent amendments should help it stand up to legal challenge better.
“If a minor gets ahold of their guardian’s gun, holding that guardian accountable other than emergencies in the house if somebody breaks in, there’s exemptions for that,” said O’Connor.
Anyone who would violate the law would not face criminal charges; they would appear before a magistrate and could face a fine.
“We’re not locking people up or going door to door,” said O’Connor. “Also when it came to the ban a lot of people were already grandfathered in so again we weren’t going door to door and take your gun, this is more a different approach that I think gives us a stay when we go to the Supreme Court in Pennsylvania, if we get to that point that we might have a better chance of winning.”