PHILADELPHIA — In the wake of recent mass shootings in Buffalo, NY and Texas, Pennsylvania Governor Tom Wolf on Friday called for what he says are "common sense" gun laws.
In a speech in Philadelphia Friday, Wolf called for four gun control measures, asking for laws that would:
- Require lost or stolen guns to be reported within 72 hours
- Require background checks on all gun sales
- Require safe gun storage
- Allow "red flag" gun laws
"These will not infringe on anybody's rights, on anybody's constitutional rights," Wolf said. "They will save lives."
One Wednesday, the Republican-controlled State House voted not to advance a law banning assault-style weapons.
Wolf accused the GOP-controlled legislature of doing "nothing" to address the issue of gun violence.
Republican leadership in the state legislature disagrees with that assessment.
"The legislature has a demonstrated track record for taking action to ensure our schools are safe and making investments in resources to minimize such risks," GOP leadership said in a statement.
Among the measure cited in the GOP statement are:
- The School Safety Committee
- Safe2Say school treat reporting system
- Community Safety Grants to reduce community violence
- Trauma-informed training for teachers
Josh Shapiro, the Democratic candidate to replace Wolf in the governor's mansion, has also shown glimpses of how he would treat gun control if elected to office.
He called for the legislature to do something to address "ghost guns," or privately made firearms that lack a commercially-applied serial number, rendering them untraceable.
The state House Republican Caucus said the commonwealth already has some of the most stringent background check laws in the country, and is considered to be a "national model" for gun control laws.