PA House Panel Revives Gun Bill Struck Down By State Supreme Court

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- A state House committee has advanced a measure – struck down by a court ruling last year – that made it easier for gun rights activists and groups to sue municipalities like Philadelphia that enact their own gun laws.

The law was struck down not over the issue of whether municipalities have the right to pass their own gun laws, but because it addressed more than one subject. The sponsor of a bill to reinstate the law, approved Tuesday by the House Judiciary Committee, is Republican Mark Keller. He says it's a matter of pre-emption, that is, state law superseding local law.

"I come from municipal government. I believe in municipal government. I believe it's important. But when there is a state law, they need to abide by the state law."

Montgomery County Democrat Madeleine Dean opposes the bill.

"I would say in this case, the question of safety trumps that pre-emption clause."

Dean says passing the bill will be a waste of time if Governor Wolf vetoes it, but the sponsor believes there might be enough votes in the House for a veto override.