York County township to consider becoming ‘Second Amendment Sanctuary’

• Rachel McDevitt/StateImpact Pennsylvania
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  I report on energy and the environment for StateImpact Pennsylvania at WITF.
  
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 Ed Mahon / PA Post

State Sen. Kristin Phillips-Hill, R-York, speaks during a Second Amendment rally on May 6, 2019, in the state Capitol.

(Harrisburg) — A midstate township board of supervisors is scheduled to discuss a controversial gun rights measure at a meeting Tuesday night.

The proposed ordinance would designate West Manheim Township, York County as a Second Amendment Sanctuary.

Model proposals of the ordinance put forth by gun rights advocates aim to prevent enforcement of any federal- or state-level restriction on a person’s “constitutional right to keep and bear arms.”

For example, under the ordinance, any act ordering the confiscation of a firearm, firearm accessories, or ammunition from a citizen would not be recognized by the township. That could be targeted toward proposed red flag laws, which would give courts the power to take guns away from people who are deemed a danger to themselves or others.

However, the ordinance makes exceptions for Protection from Abuse orders. It does not offer protections for people barred from owning guns under state or federal law.

Connie Hahn, an organizer with York County Moms Demand Action, which lobbies for more strict gun laws, said her group will urge the board to reject the proposal.

She said the measure would threaten public safety and open up the township to lawsuits that would be paid for by the community.

“They would be saying they don’t have to follow the existing gun laws or the future gun laws that might be voted on this year,” Hahn said, adding, “The ordinances are really lawless and the leaders really should uphold the laws of the commonwealth and the nation and not go down this road.”

Supporters of such ordinances say they would protect people from “overreaching politicians and bureaucrats in Harrisburg and Washington.”

Pennsylvania law bans municipalities from enforcing their own gun ordinances.

Tonight’s meeting is scheduled to start at 7 p.m. at 2412 Baltimore Pike, Hanover.

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