Pennsylvania Classifies Self-Assembled Gun Kits as Firearms In Order to Regulate Them

Pennsylvania is moving to eliminate a loophole in the state’s gun laws by classifying guns made from self-assembled kits as firearms. Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro, who issued a legal opinion on so-called “ghost guns,” said that people in the state can buy the parts and tools to assemble a functioning firearm at gun shows or online without going through a background check. “These are DIY firearms that lurk beneath the shadows often ending up in the hands of those who can’t legally buy a firearm on their own,” Shapiro said. State law enforcement will now have to develop guidelines for gun vendors, gun shops, and others who sell the firearm kits. Gov. Tom Wolf emphasized that buying a firearm kit is still legal, but if a person would ordinarily fail a background check for a regular firearm, they would no longer be able to purchase a kit. “This change will stop criminals. It will stop terrorists and other lawless people who can’t pass a background check from acquiring a gun through a loophole that never should have existed in the first place. All we’re doing is bringing the gun laws up to speed with what’s really happening out in the real world,” Wolf said. California, Connecticut, New Jersey, and Washington have already passed laws to address untraceable guns. In California, a ghost gun was used in a Los Angeles school shooting in November that left two students and the shooter dead. Shira Goodman, executive director of CeaseFire PA, said that Shapiro made the right move. “When these kits started, they were for really craft people. Gun owners who really wanted to be able to build their own gun and it was hard to do. It’s really gotten so much easier and much cheaper,” she said. Though the NRA has not weighed in on Pennsylvania’s change, there is some support for regulation on self-assembled kit guns from Second Amendment advocates. Tom King, the head of the New York State Rifle and Pistol Association, in September said the sale of ghost guns is a growing problem. “It appears what was meant to be something for competitive shooters and serious shooters to build their own unique firearm may be turning into a criminal enterprise,” King said. [Trib Live; The Morning Call]

TAX CREDIT | Baltimore City Councilmember Ryan Dorsey introduced a bill that would give the lowest-paid city employees a $2,500 property tax credit in order to make homeownership more viable. The bill would apply the credit to the bottom 25% of city employee earners, including janitors and clerical workers, and is similar to legislation passed two years ago that gave credits to Baltimore police and firefighters. “They fix our streets, clean and maintain our buildings, answer the phones and do many things that are all too often overlooked. If you’re working full-time for the City of Baltimore, we owe you,” Dorsey said. Nearly half of Baltimore’s low-income city employees live outside the city, and around 20% are renters. The bill has already received support from unions that represent city workers. "City employees sometimes risk health and face harm to do their job to help our city function. This is a great opportunity to show workers that the city is serious about all employees across all income levels," said Antoinette Ryan-Johnson, president of the city union of Baltimore. [WBALTV; The Baltimore Sun] 

MEDICAID WORK REQUIREMENTS | Newly elected Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear rescinded the state’s Medicaid work requirements put in place by his Republican predecessor Matt Bevin. The work requirements, which had been put on hold by a federal judge, were projected to end coverage for 95,000 people and Beshear, a Democrat, had campaigned on eliminating them. Kentucky was the first state that the Trump administration approved for work requirements, but legal battles prohibited them from taking effect. “My faith teaches me that rescinding this waiver is not only the right thing to do, it is the moral, faith-driven thing to do. Health care is a basic human right, and every Kentucky family deserves to see a doctor and receive treatment when they are sick,” Beshear said. Bevin had contended that requirements would make people more responsible and involved in their communities. A study in September found that half of state residents enrolled in Medicaid didn’t know about the proposed work requirements. [Courier-Journal; WKYT]

MARIJUANA CONVICTIONS | Atlanta Mayor Keisha Lance Bottoms issued an executive order to restrict public access to criminal records about people who were convicted on marijuana charges of less than an ounce. The order requires city officials to create a process by which people can apply to have their court records sealed to everyone except law enforcement. “The fact remains that communities of color are disproportionately affected by the lingering stigma of victimless, minor offenses—even long after the accused have paid their debts. This outmoded practice deprives our communities and workforce of brilliant and promising minds, all because of an unfair justice system that can and will be course-corrected,” Bottoms said. The move was praised by advocacy groups, but drew criticism from some proponents of open government, like Cynthia Counts, a board member at the Georgia First Amendment Foundation. Counts said that the public should still have access to records for people like judges and elected officials or candidates. “My concern with it is it’s still a knowing violation of the law. Certainly, a knowing violation of the law being kept from public access is a problem,” she said. [Atlanta Journal-Constitution; Associated Press]

TORNADOES | Mississippi Gov. Phil Bryant declared a state of emergency after 14 tornadoes ripped through the state this week. At least 150 homes were damaged and 15 people were injured, but no deaths were reported. Twenty-seven counties are covered by the emergency declaration. Bryant said that neighbors should check on the elderly and those without power, but should be careful when they do. “To those that are out wanting to help … check with your local emergency management director, your sheriff’s department, your police department—anyone of an official response capability,” Bryant said. [WAPT]