COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF PHILADELPHIA COMMITTEE ON PUBLIC SAFETY - - - Room 400, City Hall Philadelphia, Pennsylvania Thursday, March 27, 2008 9:25 a.m. - - - PRESENT: COUNCILWOMAN DONNA REED MILLER, CHAIR COUNCILMAN DARRELL L. CLARKE COUNCILMAN CURTIS JONES, JR. COUNCILMAN JAMES F. KENNEY COUNCILWOMAN JOAN L. KRAJEWSKI COUNCILMAN FRANK RIZZO BILLS 080015, 080016, 080017, 080018, 080032, 080033, 080034, 080035 and 080036 - - - V A R A L L O Incorporated Litigation Support Services Eleven Penn Center 1835 Market Street, Suite 600 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19103 215.561.2220 215.567.2670 2
Good morning, everyone. The Committee on Public Safety is now in session. Let the record reflect that in attendance are Committee members Councilman Frank Rizzo to my left, Councilman Darrell Clarke to my left, Councilwoman Joan Krajewski to my left, Councilman Curtis Jones to my right, and I am Councilwoman Miller, Chair of this Committee. We have nine bills on the schedule, and time is not on our side today. These bills have been before this Committee on a few occasions and are not new. There has been a small amendment. We have taken out the language waiting for the state enabling legislation. That does not seem to be happening, so we have decided to move ahead and do what is necessary for Philadelphia. Let's be courteous to the other 3 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. hearings today and move these bills out quickly. Thank you. Would the Clerk please read the title of the first bill.
080015, an ordinance amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section to prohibit the possession or acquisition of firearms by persons charged with certain criminal offenses, during the pendency of such charges, under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you. And we have our one and only witness. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ROSS: Good morning.
Deputy Commissioner Ross. Good morning. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ROSS: Good morning, Councilwoman. 4 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc.
Please proceed. Identify yourself and please proceed. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ROSS: Deputy Police Commissioner Richard Ross, Police Department, and I am here just very briefly to reiterate the Commissioner's position on reasonable gun legislation in the City and just to let the Council know that we believe very strongly that this legislation will go a long way towards dramatically improving gun violence in our City. You are well aware of the Commissioner's Crime-Fighting Plan, you know, which includes things such as putting more officers on the street and using technology such as cameras, video cameras, to stem the tide of violence. So we just believe that without such legislation, that in the long run we will always be fighting an uphill battle. So in short, we thank you for your continued support in this effort. 5 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc.
Thank you. Are there any questions of this witness by Committee members? (No response.)
Seeing none, thank you. Thank you for coming in. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ROSS: Thank you.
Thank the Administration and the Commissioner and the Mayor and everybody for supporting this, please. DEPUTY COMMISSIONER ROSS: Thank you.
Thank you. Will the Clerk please read the bills into the record.
The remaining bills: 080016, an ordinance amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new 6 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. Section, entitled "Acquisition or Transfer of Firearms," to regulate the acquiring or transferring of any firearm within the City of Philadelphia, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill No. 080017, an ordinance 8 amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section, entitled "Temporary Removal of Firearms of Persons Posing a Risk of Imminent Personal Injury to Self or Others." Bill 080018, an ordinance 15 amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section, entitled "Prohibited Possession, Sale and Transfer of Firearms by Persons Subject to Protection from Abuse Orders." Bill 080032, an ordinance 22 amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section, entitled "Failure to Report Lost or Stolen Firearms," by 7 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. requiring prompt notification of lost or stolen firearms and imposing penalties. Bill 080033, an ordinance 5 amending Section 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section 10-821a, entitled "Contraband Weapons, Accessories and Ammunition," providing for the prohibition and registration of certain assault weapons and imposing penalties. Bill 080034, an ordinance 13 amending Chapter 10-080 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section 10-834, entitled "Sale or Transfer of Ammunition," to require all sale of ammunition for firearms to be reported to the City of Philadelphia Police Department and to require that Department to maintain a registry of such reports, all under certain terms and conditions. Bill 080035, an ordinance 24 amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by 8 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. adding a new Section 10-831, entitled "Straw and Multiple Handgun Purchase Reduction," to limit purchases of handguns by Philadelphia residents to one a month and to prohibit straw purchases of handguns utilized by criminals for the purpose of evading the one handgun a month limitation, all under certain terms and conditions. And Bill 080036, an ordinance 12 amending Chapter 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety," by adding a new Section, entitled "Reporting Requirements Upon the Application for or Renewal of a License to Carry a Firearm," to provide for certain reporting requirements for the issuance or renewal of licenses to carry firearms within the City of Philadelphia, all under certain terms and conditions.
Thank you. Are there any other witnesses wishing to testify today on any of these 9 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. bills? (No response.)
Seeing none, this concludes the public hearing on the Committee of Public Safety. We will now go into the public meeting. The Chair recognizes Councilman Clarke to report Bill 080015.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 080015 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and request for rules suspension as to allow reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
This bill 23 has been properly moved and seconded and the rules of Council have been requested to be suspended as to permit first 10 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. reading at our next session. Councilman Clarke, Bill No. 4 080016.
Madam Chair, I move that Bill 080016 be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation and request for rules suspension as to allow reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
This bill 18 has been properly moved and seconded and rules suspension requested as to permit first reading at our next session. Councilwoman Krajewski, Bill 22 No. 080017.
Madam Chairman, I move that Bill 080017 be reported out of this Committee with a 11 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. favorable recommendation, that the rules of Council be suspended as to permit first reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
Thank you. This bill has been properly moved and seconded and the rules of Council have been requested to be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session. Councilwoman Krajewski, Bill 19 No. 080018.
Madam Chairman, I move that Bill 080018 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation, with a suspension of rules so as to permit first reading at the session of Council. 12 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. (Duly seconded.)
This bill 10 has been properly moved and seconded and the rules have been requested to be suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session. Councilman Rizzo, Bill No. 15 080032.
Madam Chair, Bill No. 080032 to be moved from this Committee with a favorable recommendation, that the rules of Council be suspended so this can be heard at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
All in favor? (Aye.) 13 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc.
The ayes have it. This bill has been properly moved and seconded and the suspension of the rules has been requested so as to permit first reading at our next session. Councilman Rizzo, Bill No. 10 080033. Where did he go? Councilman Jones.
An ordinance 14 amending Section 10-800 of The Philadelphia Code, entitled "Safety" -- I move that Bill 080033 be moved out of the Committee with a favorable recommendation and a suspension of the rules. (Duly seconded.)
This bill 14 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. has been properly moved and seconded and the rules suspension has been requested so as to permit first reading at our next session. Councilman Kenney, 080034.
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I move that Bill No. 9 080034 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
No? Okay. Great. This bill has been properly moved and seconded and rules of Council have been requested to be suspended so as to permit first reading 15 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. at our next session. Councilman Kenney, Bill No. 4 080035.
Thank you, Madam Chairperson. I move that Bill No. 7 080035 be reported out of this Committee with a favorable recommendation and a request made for rules suspension to allow first reading at our next Council session. (Duly seconded.)
Great. This bill has been properly moved and seconded and the suspension of rules has been requested so as to permit first reading at our next session. Councilman Clarke, 080036.
Thank you, Madam Chair. I move that Bill No. 080036 16 3/27/08 - PUBLIC SAFETY - BILL 080015, etc. be reported out of Committee with a favorable recommendation, request for rules suspension as to allow the reading at the next session of Council. (Duly seconded.)
This bill 13 has also been properly moved and seconded and, furthermore, the rules of this Council have been suspended so as to permit first reading at our next session. There are no more bills. I want to thank everyone for coming. This concludes the hearing, and thank you. (Committee on Public Safety adjourned at 9:35 a.m.) - - - 17 CERTIFICATE I HEREBY CERTIFY that the proceedings, evidence and objections are contained fully and accurately in the stenographic notes taken by me upon the foregoing matter on March 27, 2008, and that this is a true and correct transcript of same. ______________________________ MICHELE L. MURPHY RPR-Notary Public (The foregoing certification of this transcript does not apply to any reproduction of the same by any means, unless under the direct control and/or supervision of the certifying reporter.)