Rep Tomlinson Explains “Yes Vote” on Long Gun Background Checks Bill

On September 30 a measure to codify background checks authored by state Rep Perry Warren (D Bucks) passed the House with bipartisan support in a 104 to 99 vote.

State Rep K.C Tomlinson was one of several Bucks County Republicans -and the most senior of the Lower Bucks County contingent-  recently explained her vote in her latest email digest delivered to constituents and those signed up to receive the “weekly roundup” from her office.

On HB 1593 (Universal Background Checks) to close the background check loophole on the private transfer of long-guns, passed on a bipartisan vote.

“People who sell long guns to others without knowing whether they are prohibited from having guns expose themselves to criminal prosecution. Ignorance of that fact is not a defense. Every new gun purchaser completes a criminal background check, and the same should be true for private transactions,” Tomlinson said.

“Those who claim this creates a gun registry are just blatantly misinformed. If anything, it provides protection for law abiding gun owners  during a personal sale,” said Tomlinson, pushing back on long gun sellers strongly opposed to the measure.

Tomlinson did vote no on three other gun related bills that day citing that there are federal laws in place to deal with those issues. 

There are also federal and state laws for homicide and thousands of other laws on the books too.

“You fight gun-violent criminals by enforcing our laws and actually *persecuting criminals.”

* Editor’s Note: LBS believes writer intended to use the word prosecuting not  persecuting as it shows in the E letter