Rendell Firearm Purchase Shutdown Scheduled to Begin Sunday, September 2 in Pennsylvania!

In the face of opposition from stakeholders from across the state, Governor Edward G. Rendell (D) late yesterday afternoon issued a press release confirming his plan to proceed with the scheduled shutdown of the Pennsylvania Instant Check System (PICS) for firearm purchases across the Commonwealth.   Completely ignoring the recommendations from the appointed ad hoc committee assigned to evaluate alternatives, Rendell announced the shut down of the PICS by the Pennsylvania State Police during the Labor Day Holiday weekend.  The shutdown will cover two full working days, 6 p.m. Sunday, September 2, until 6 p.m. Wednesday, September 6, which directly coincides with the beginning of the Pennsylvania hunting season.

All interested parties understand the need to upgrade the system’s hardware and software.  However, the untimely three-week notification to firearm dealers, along with the refusal to perform upgrades during non-business hours, is unnecessary and unacceptable.   

Government computer systems in this country are upgraded on a daily basis without interruption of services provided to taxpayers- Why should Pennsylvania be different!!  Law-abiding Pennsylvanians should not be denied their constitutional right to purchase firearms during a scheduled maintenance of the PICS. 

The injunction to prevent the shutdown of the Pennsylvania Instant Check System, filed by the Allegheny County Sportsmen’s League and 26 gun dealers, will be heard in Commonwealth Court this Friday, August 31.  We are hopeful that the Court will rule favorably on the injunction and deny a total moratorium on firearm transactions during a PICS system upgrade.

Please continue to contact Governor Ed Rendell (D) and urge him to conduct the maintenance of PICS during non-business hours, when it would not interfere with a law-abiding citizen’s right to purchase a firearm.  Governor Rendell can be reached at (717) 787-2500 or visit http://sites.state.pa.us/PA_Exec/Governor/govmail.html to send him an email   The State Senate can be reached at (717) 787-5920 and the House of Representatives can be reached at (717) 787-2382.  

Also, contact your State Legislator today and ask for an immediate independent study to determine the TRUTH about the “Rendell Shutdown.” Remember, “A Right Delayed is a Right Denied.”

The State Senate can be reached at (717) 787-5920 and the House of Representatives can be reached at (717) 787-2382.  If you need help identifying your State Legislators, please click here.