State Sen. Tom Killion (R-9)
State Sen. Tom Killion (R-9) Monday voted against legislation that would penalize municipalities and taxpayers for enacting ordinances that are more restrictive than laws passed by the General Assembly.
Killion said he opposed Senate Bill 1330 because he believes that the legislation encourages lawsuits against municipalities, and would cost taxpayers millions and lead to unnecessary property tax increases.
“When a local community is sued and a judgment for damages is ordered by the courts, it is local property owners who will have to foot the bill,” Killion said. “In addition to taking rights away from municipalities that want to enforce tougher gun laws, this legislation would encourage costly and unnecessary lawsuits.”
“Almost every day there is another act of gun violence reported in the City of Chester, and we cannot stand in the way of letting individual communities take the action they need to take to keep their communities safe,”
The bill would allow a party that believes he or she is affected by stronger local gun ordinances to sue the municipality to cover court costs, legal fees and other damages. Most alarming, it also allows for punitive damages for municipalities.
“The Commonwealth has always deferred to our local communities on a wide range of issues, from education to zoning,” Killion said. “Public safety should be no different – if communities choose to enact stronger gun laws, that is their right and they should not be punished for doing so.”
