New Poll: 82 Percent Of Pennsylvania Voters Support Prohibiting People Subject to Domestic Violence Protection Orders From Buying Guns

Poll Results Reveal Overwhelming Support for Legislation Like Senate Bill 501 Which Would Require All Abusers Subject to Final Protection Orders to Turn In Their Guns

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released a new poll conducted by SurveyUSA that finds 82 percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania — including 88 percent of gun-owning households — support prohibiting anyone convicted of a misdemeanor crime of domestic violence or subject to a domestic violence protection order from purchasing a gun. The poll also revealed that 76 percent of likely voters in Pennsylvania — including 78 percent of gun-owning households — agree that convicted domestic abusers and those subject to a domestic violence protection order should be required to turn in their guns to law enforcement or a licensed gun dealer.

The poll results (available here) come as the Pennsylvania state legislature considers Senate Bill 501, a bill that would protect Pennsylvania families by requiring all domestic abusers subject to final protection from abuse orders to surrender their guns to law enforcement or a licensed dealer. The bill would also shorten the current 60-day period convicted domestic abusers have to surrender their guns to 24 hours.

“Pennsylvanians overwhelmingly support keeping guns out of the hands of domestic abusers because we understand that protecting women and children is not a partisan issue — it is a matter of prioritizing public safety,” said Deb Marteslo, volunteer chapter leader with the Pennsylvania chapter of Moms Demand Action. “Far too many families are currently living in fear of a former abuser coming back to inflict unspeakable harm on them with a gun. The time has come for our lawmakers to stand up and show these victims that their lives are of the utmost importance. Too many lives are on the line.”

The survey consisted of interviews with 805 likely voters in Pennsylvania. It also found, among other results, that:

• 91 percent of likely voters support requiring all gun buyers to pass a criminal background check.
• 92 percent of likely voters support Pennsylvania’s current permitting system to carry a concealed handgun in public.