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Butevenifstatewidepreemptionitselfisonfirmlegalfooting,questionsremainaboutthescopeofthelongstandinglaw.It’sclearthatthepreemptionlanguagepreventscounties,cities,andtownshipsfromadoptingtheirownguncontrolordinancesregardingthe“thelawfulownership,possession,transferortransportationoffirearms,ammunitionorammunitioncomponents”,butdoesthatmeanthatthosepoliticalsubdivisionscan’tregulatewherethoselawfultransferstakeplace?
That’stheissueattheheartofanotherlegalchallege;thisonefilednotbyanti-gunofficialsinPhiladelphia,butbyafederallylicensedfirearmsdealeroperatinginthePhillysuburbofLowerMerionTownship.In2023,GrantSchmidtandhiscompanyShotTecdrewtheireofsomeneighborsandresidentswhowereincensedatthegunstore’slocation.AsthePhiladelphiaInquirerreports:
AmeliaPowell,whostartedthepetition,hadlongheldconcernsaboutgunviolenceandwasfrustratedtoseeabusinesspopupinabusycorridornearschools.
“Peoplewerepickingupthegunsinthestoreandthenwalkingoutintothecommuni