Greene CTY, PA Commissioners Pass a Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution

On February 4, the Greene County, Pennsylvania Commissioners Board passed a resolution declaring the county to be a Second Amendment Sanctuary. According to their News Release, the resolution states that “the county will not recognize the enforcement of any new laws that alter Second Amendment Rights.” Greene County Sheriff Marcus Simms and Greene County District attorney Dave Russo both indicated their support for the resolution.

The Commissioners actually published a video on their Facebook page showing their February 4, 2021 meeting where they approved the resolution. If you skip forward to approximately the 5:48 mark in the video, you can watch them vote on it. Here’s a link to the video: https://fb.watch/3FRNDDr2WQ/

---

SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY RESOLUTION
FOR
GREENE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

RESOLUTION NO. 2-4 – 2021 – FA-4

A RESOLUTION OF GREENE COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA DECLARING GREENE COUNTY A SECOND AMENDMENT SANCTUARY PURSUANT TO THE CONSTITUTIONS OF THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA AND THE COMMONWEALTH OF PENNSYLVANIA.

Section 1. TITLE

The title of this Resolution shall be the “Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution.”

Section 2. FINDINGS

The people of Greene County, Pennsylvania, find and declare:

A. Acting through the United States Constitution, the people created government to be their agent in the exercise of a few defined powers, while reserving to the citizens the right to decide on matters which concern their lives, liberty and property in the ordinary course of their affairs;

B. The Second Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states “A well-regulated militia being necessary to the security of a free state, the right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed”;

C. Article I, Section 21 of the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania states, “The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned”;

D. The right of the people to keep and bear arms is further protected from infringement by state and local governments under the Ninth, Tenth, and Fourteenth Amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America;

E. The Supreme Court of the United States of America in District of Columbia v. Heller recognized and reaffirmed the individuals’ right to keep and bear arms, as protected by the Second Amendment of the Constitution of the United States of America. Justice Antonin Scalia’s prevailing opinion stated that the Second Amendment protects an individual’s right to possess a firearm unconnected with service in a militia, and the right to use that firearm for traditionally lawful purposes, such as self-defense within the home;

F. Section 1 of the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America states, “no state shall make or enforce any law which shall abridge the privileges or immunities of citizens of the United States; nor shall any state deprive any person of life, liberty or property, without due process of law, nor deny any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of laws”;

G. The Supreme Court of the United States recognized in McDonald v. City of Chicago, that the Second Amendment to the Constitution was incorporated by the Fourteenth Amendment and thereby made applicable to the States.

Section 3. ACTION

Therefore, it is hereby resolved through the enactment of this Resolution, Greene County, Pennsylvania, is hereby declared to be a Second Amendment Sanctuary. Further that the citizens of Greene County shall remain secure in their Second Amendment rights to KEEP AND BEAR ARMS and may rely on this Resolution in defense of their Second Amendment Rights.

Section 4. EFFECTIVE DATE

The effective date of this Resolution, The Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution, shall be immediately upon the adoption and approval by the Greene County Commissioners.

DULY ENACTED AND RESOLVED, this 4 day of February, 2021, by the Greene County Board of Commissioners, in lawful session, duly assembled as required by applicable law.

---

Below is a copy of their news release, originally published on the Greene County, PA website.

*****

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

WAYNESBURG – Greene County Commissioners, by majority vote, approved a resolution to make the county a sanctuary for Second Amendment rights. The proposed Second Amendment Sanctuary Resolution states that the county will not recognize the enforcement of any new laws that alter Second Amendment rights. Greene County joins Fayette County which recently passed a similar resolution.

“During meetings and routine interactions with constituents, we have repeatedly been asked about Greene County becoming a second amendment sanctuary,” said Commissioner Betsy McClure. “Our residents listen to what is discussed at the federal level of government and see what happened in Virginia and other states last year and want protection of their current rights,” she added.

The resolution affirms Greene County’s support of the rights currently given under the Constitution of the United States and the Constitution of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in regards to the right of citizens to keep and bear arms. 

In a statement supporting the resolution, Sheriff Marcus Simms said, “As all other elected officials, we swore to support and defend the Constitution of the United States and of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.  This resolution reaffirms to our constituents that we, at the county level of government, intend to stand by that oath.”

A statement from the Greene County District Attorney’s Office said, “The resolution to make Greene County a second amendment sanctuary is supported by Greene County District Attorney Dave Russo.

“This resolution gives no new rights or privileges,” said Commissioner Mike Belding, “but whether you are a casual hunter, an advocate of youth activities like the Hunting Hills Hawkeyes and school rifle teams, or an individual that exercises the right to own firearms for home/self-defense, this resolution safeguards your current gun ownership rights against future infringement in Greene County, PA.”

Additional information can be obtained on the Greene County Commissioner’s Facebook page or by calling (724) 852-5210.

---