Familiarity with Pennsylvania's current firearms preemption law

Transcription

1 conducted a survey in Pennsylvania with a random sample of 600 likely voters from September 2 6, The survey sought to assess voter familiarity with, opinions of, and receptivity to HB 2011, a preemption bill that is being considered by the Pennsylvania General Assembly. Our survey shows that Pennsylvania voters are unfamiliar with both the state s current preemption law and the proposed bill (HB 2011) to expand the existing preemption law. When voters are introduced to and explained the HB 2011, a majority opposes it. The data shows that there is overwhelming support for gun violence prevention measures in the state such as criminal background checks on all gun sales, indicating that Harrisburg s legislative agenda is out of step with public opinion on gun laws. Familiarity By two to one, Pennsylvania voters are not familiar with the state s current firearms preemption law. Even fewer voters (21%) are familiar with House Bill 2011, which would amend the state s law to expand the preemption laws. Familiarity with Pennsylvania's current firearms preemption law 25% 25% Familiar Unfamiliar 1

2 7 21% Familiarity with HB % 14% Familiar Unfamiliar HB 2011 After establishing familiarity with firearms preemption laws and HB 2011, we presented voters with the following description of House Bill 2011: HB 2011 is firearms preemption legislation, which, if passed, would expand Pennsylvania's existing firearms preemption law. HB 2011 would allow groups and individuals to sue cities and towns to repeal any existing gun violence prevention laws on the books, if the local regulations differ from statewide law. The local taxpayers would be required to pay for all costs, fees, and expenses generated by the lawsuits brought against municipalities' local gun violence prevention laws by individuals or outside organizations even if the local gun rules were never enforced and local officials did not intend to enforce them. We then tested voter support for this measure. By to 28%, likely voters have an unfavorable impression of HB 2011, and by 55% to 29%, voters say they oppose the measure. 2

3 7 Favorability toward HB % 12% Total Favorable Total Unfavorable Support for HB % 29% 12% Total Support Total Oppose 3

4 Background checks for all gun sales In stark contrast to the opposition to HB 2011, the data shows that there is widespread support among Pennsylvania voters for universal background checks. By 93% to 5%, voters favor requiring all gun buyers to pass a criminal background check. 10 Support for Universal Background Checks 93% 8 5% 2% Total Favor Total Oppose Support for universal background checks is strong among voters in all demographic groups, as demonstrated in the chart below Support for Universal Background Checks by Demographic Group 94% 91% 92% % 96% 87% 89% 5% 6% 6% 11% 11% 1% 2% Men Women Whites Blacks Hispanics Rep. Dem. Ind. Gun owners Total Favor Total Oppose 4

5 Further, nearly all voters (96%) say that support for the Second Amendment goes hand in hand with keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people, and background checks will keep guns out of the wrong hands Support for the Second Amendment goes hand in hand with keeping guns out of the hands of dangerous people. And background checks are common-sense measure to keep guns out of the wrong hands felons, domestic abusers, and the seriously mentally ill. 96% 8 2% 2% Total agree Total disagree Despite this near-universal support for background checks in Pennsylvania and the fact that the state already requires background checks on all handgun sales, a bill to expand background checks to long gun sales (HB 1010) has stalled in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives without a vote for months, while unknown and unpopular HB 2011 is being voted on this week. The survey clearly shows that state legislators are advancing HB 2011 at the expense of more popular legislation, which is supported by an overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians, and that Harrisburg s priorities when it comes to gun violence prevention differ significantly from those of the Pennsylvania electorate. 5