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PITTSBURGH (Newsradio 1020 KDKA) - City Council is set to take a preliminary vote Wednesday on gun control bills in response to the Tree of Life massacre.
The measures would ban 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 the restrictions wouldn’t affect handguns and most rifles.
O'Connor believes the bills will pass, and said 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.”
O’Connor said the meeting is open for public comment.
People who attend will get three minutes to speak. An immediate legal challenge from gun rights advocates is expected after next week's final vote.
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