This piece of, um, legislation, is an outrage. Among other things, it would allow the city of Philadelphia to outlaw all guns, in direct violation of the United States and Pennsylvania Constitutions:

(3) A city of the first class may adopt ordinances doing any of the following:

(i) Limiting the ownership, possession, transfer or transportation of assault weapons within the city limits.

Is it just the governor being emotional? That's what we are told, but considering Ed Rendell is a seasoned political animal (and former Chairman of the DNC), I seriously doubt he's been carried away by emotion.

In any event, the emotional pretext he's using involves the recent shooting of a police officer by another rampaging criminal:

Visibly moved by the funeral Wednesday for slain Philadelphia Police Officer Chuck Cassidy, Gov. Rendell yesterday called for tougher penalties for shooting at a police officers and pledged to renew his fight for three gun-control laws stalled in the Legislature.

Rendell said that at the funeral he was struck by the prayer from Cassidy's family members for government officials "to continue to strive to ensure a safe, non-violent community for all Philadelphians."

"I thought about that and said, we just can't throw our hands up," a somber Rendell said at a Center City news conference.

Rendell said he has convinced the chairman of the state House Judiciary Committee, Tom Caltagirone, D-Berks, to list three stalled gun-control measures for consideration. Rendell offered to be the first witness before the committee.

Which is the news media's way of "disclosing" that he violated existing gun control laws. Drug addicts are not allowed to own guns. People with criminal records or facing felony charges are not allowed to own guns. People are not allowed to steal guns. Etc.

And of course, not even the most draconian gun control laws will disarm prison guards.

So what we have is an emotional reaction to an incident which happened despite a plethora of existing gun control laws, and which would not have been prevented by any of the proposed ones.

The governor's move is so unusual that it is attracting national attention. Here's the Examiner:

HARRISBURG, Pa. (Map, News) - Gov. Ed Rendell, hoping to inject fresh drama into the stalled debate over gun control in Pennsylvania, plans to personally address a House committee considering several bills he says are crucial to reducing gun violence.

An appearance by a sitting governor before a committee is so rare that some of the longest serving legislators and staff members could not remember another such time. At Rendell's request, Rep. Thomas Caltagirone, D-Berks, the House Judiciary Committee chairman, will bring up three bills for a vote Tuesday after members listen to the governor.

Let them know.

(Contact information from the NRAILA follows if you expand the post.)