Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations
Contact 90.5 WESA with a story idea or news tip: news@wesa.fm

Suit Against Pennsylvania Gun Control Ordinances To Proceed

A lawsuit challenging the legality of gun control ordinances in the Pennsylvania capital has gained new momentum in court.

The Pennsylvania Commonwealth Court ruled 7-0 Thursday that a gun owners' group and several individuals fighting Harrisburg regulation have a standing to challenge most of the ordinances.

Pennlive.com reports the ruling is a reversal of a 2018 decision by Dauphin County Judge Andrew Dowling as well as the court's previous decisions shielding some local gun ordinances from similar lawsuits.

The argument has been that plaintiffs had not been prosecuted under their terms and therefore show no harm.

The new ruling permits the lawsuit to challenge ordinances that include barring the possession or firing of guns in city parks or within city limits for purposes other than public defense.

The Associated Press is one of the largest and most trusted sources of independent newsgathering, supplying a steady stream of news to its members, international subscribers and commercial customers. AP is neither privately owned nor government-funded; instead, it's a not-for-profit news cooperative owned by its American newspaper and broadcast members.