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Bills To Combat Gun Violence Advance In Pennsylvania House

Elaine Thompson
/
AP
Dozens of semi-automatic rifles line a pair of walls in a gun shop Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2017 in Lynnwood, Wash. Pennsylvania lawmakers are advancing legislation to more aggressively take firearms from those with a domestic violence PFA against them.

A Pennsylvania House committee is advancing legislation to more aggressively take firearms from people who have a domestic violence restraining order against them or who are deemed dangerous by a judge.

The House Judiciary Committee passed several firearms-related bills Tuesday. Their fate in the Republican-controlled House of Representatives is unclear.

Among the provisions are ones that passed the Senate in March. One requires defendants in final protection-from-abuse cases to give up their guns in 24 hours. Current law leaves forfeiture to a judge's discretion. Another eliminates a provision under current law that allows people to give their guns to a relative, friend or neighbor.

A separate provision would allow judges to issue a temporary order to take guns from someone deemed to be a danger to themselves or others.

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