PA House Committee Thwarts Vote On Gun Control Bill

By Tony Romeo

HARRISBURG, Pa. (CBS) -- The state House Judiciary Committee has taken action to delay a House vote on a bill that would ban the sale of guns to people who are on terrorist watch lists.

The bipartisan vote by the House Judiciary Committee to refer the bill to the House Rules Committee effectively thwarted a parliamentary maneuver by Bucks County Democrat Steve Santarsiero to bring the bill before the full House for consideration. Santarsiero, a candidate for Congress, said he did not understand the need for more time to deliberate on his bill to ban the sale of guns to people named in a terrorist screening database.

"When we have essentially not used the last six months since this bill was first introduced to do just that."

But the ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, Joseph Petrarca, said he has concerns about the bill…

"In my mind, certainly, in the area of due process."

In particular Petrarca says he's concerned about people named on terrorist watch lists who may not belong there.