State Rep. Stephen Barrar, R-160, serving parts of Delaware and Chester counties, plans to introduce legislation later this month intended to keep firearms out of the hands of those who are legally prohibited from owning them.

The measure, which still has no name or bill number because it has not yet been formally introduced, focuses on prosecuting convicted felons who attempt to buy a weapon from a dealer or gun shop. He told members of Delaware County United for Sensible Gun Policy that he has no objections to the bill being amended to include people with restraining orders due to domestic abuse complaints.

Barrar met with the Delco United’s co-chairs Terry Rumsey and Robin Lasersohn at his Route 202 district office on Friday, March 6.

Delco United was formed after the December 2012 shootings at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Connecticut, where 26 people were killed.

“Our goal is to pass common-sense gun legislation that protects our families,” Rumsey said.

Barrar wanted the meeting with Rumsey because of a loud protest fraught with accusations of disingenuousness and lying outside his district office in January 2014.

The protest then centered on a house bill that called for background checks for the transfer of  rifles and shotguns. Delco United wanted Barrar to co-sponsor that bill, but he would not, saying it was more important to prosecute convicted felons if they try to buy a gun.

While that protest was organized by Delco United, it was also attended by staunch 2^nd Amendment supporters who favored Barrar’s position.

Barrar told Rumsey during last week’s meeting that he apologized for his conduct last year and that the bill he would submit this year is a replacement for the bill he wouldn’t support last year.

“I’m a believer that, as a representative, if I don’t agree with the legislation you’re asking me to support, then I should have something to offer in response,” Barrar said.

As he mentioned during the rally last year, Barrar said one of the problems in the state has been a lack of reporting and prosecution of people who go to a gun shop and fill out paperwork to buy a weapon even though they are prohibited from doing so.

It’s illegal in Pennsylvania for a convicted felon to attempt buying a gun. What his legislation would do is make it mandatory for Pennsylvania State Police to report to the attorney general every time a firearms’ purchasing request is denied when a background check shows a felony conviction on the would-be purchaser’s record.

In a memo he wrote to other representatives, Barrar said Title 18 of the state’s criminal code, making materially false statements on state and federal forms for a firearm purchase, is a third-degree felony.

He said gun-buyers sign two documents saying they’ve never been convicted of a felony.

According to statistics he provided — which Barrar said came from the state police — more than 13,000 applications were denied in 2013. Of that number, 2,000 denials were reversed. Of the 11,000 denials that were upheld, only 620 were investigated.

“I visited the firearms dealers around here, and one of the biggest complaints I received from them was their anger or frustration with the fact that so many convicted felons would come into their shops, would apply unsuccessfully, but not be prosecuted,” he said.

Lasersohn questioned why the legislation was limited to dealing with convicted felons, but didn’t include domestic-abuse suspects who have restraining orders against them.

Barrar said convicted felons represent the more pressing problem, at least as far as the gun dealers are concerned, but that he would not object to including people with restraining orders for domestic violence. It’s likely to come out of the Judiciary Committee with just that amendment, he added.

Lasersohn suggested that changing the wording now to include all prohibited persons would make it an even more appealing piece of legislation, giving it more bipartisan support.

Barrar said he would have no problem doing that, but needs to investigate the issue further.

The bill has more than a dozen co-sponsors so far, and Barrar said he would seek more when the bill goes to committee.

The NRA has not yet come out in favor of the bill, but Barrar said he sees no reason they should oppose it. His chief of staff, Traci Plunkett, said the NRA is waiting for the bill to be formally introduced and given a name and bill number.

Rumsey said he thinks this is a bill Delco United could support, but would have to bring it up to the Steering Committee first. But that won’t happen before they see the final wording of the bill.

He added, “If [the wording] includes all prohibited persons, then I think Robin and I can support this.”

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