Philadelphia petitions state Supreme Court to reinstate gun law
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Philadelphia is petitioning Pennsylvania's Supreme Court to take up its appeal of a city gun control law struck down by a lower court earlier this year.
- The city filed the petition March 16, but the case will now play out as access to firearms takes center stage in U.S. politics following the mass shooting in Uvalde, Texas, last week.
Driving the news: Philadelphia is seeking the state's highest court to weigh in on a case involving a 2009 city law mandating that residents report lost or stolen firearms within 24 hours or face a fine.
The big picture: Philadelphia continues to suffer from historic levels of gun violence.
- 209 people have been killed in the city as of Tuesday, down 3% compared to last year's extreme highs, according to police data.
Catch up quick: Three Commonwealth Court judges reversed a lower court order and placed a permanent injunction on the city's gun control measure in February.
- The ruling found the city was overruled by state law, which requires approval of firearm control from the General Assembly.
Yes, but: Commonwealth Court Judge Bonnie Brigance Leadbetter, who ruled against the city in February, urged the state Supreme Court in her opinion to reconsider Pennsylvania's preemption law to allow for "narrowly tailored" local gun laws.
Reality check: The city has a losing track record of court challenges seeking to strike down or modify the state law that prevents local municipalities from putting in place its own gun laws.
- A state appeals court voted last week to reject another city attempt at overturning the state's preemption statute, The Philadelphia Inquirer reports.
What they're saying: Andrew Richman, chief of staff for City Solicitor Diana Cortes, told Axios that if the lower court ruling stands, the city and local governments in the state "will be stripped of all authority to enact lost-or-stolen gun ordinances and, indeed, any narrowly tailored, commonsense law to address the twin specters of gun violence and illicit firearms."
Editor's note: This piece was corrected to show Tuesday's homicide rate showed a 3% drop (not 2% drop) from last year's rate as of May 31.