Nearly all of Kentucky's 120 counties have adopted versions of Second Amendment sanctuary resolutions. Resolutions are not legally binding. Louisville Courier Journal

By unanimous vote, Jackson Twp. supervisors declared, 'No Township Officer shall uphold any law or statute nor expend any Township funds in any effort contrary to this resolution.'

Officials in Jackson Township, Lebanon County,passed a resolution Monday declaring the municipality a "Second Amendment sanctuary," following a growing trend of local governmentstrying to pre-empt future state or federal gun control measures.

The resolution, which passed the board of supervisors unanimously, is mostly symbolic, asit doesnot supersede state orlaw.

But two supervisors said they wanted to send a message about their support of the SecondAmendment anyway.

"Really what itboils down to,is this was ... really justa policy statement saying that we recognize the Second Amendment,wesupport people'srights to bear arms andwe would never do anything to circumvent ortake away from that right," Supervisor Thomas Houtz said.

The resolution was prompted by news of a similar effort in West Manheim Township, York County, Houtz said.

The ordinance passed in West Manheim Township statesthe township will not use its money or personnel "in ways that are inconsistent with the Second Amendment to the constitution of the United States of America."

Jackson Township supervisors have declared the Lebanon County town a Second Amendment sanctuary, calling on officials there to refuse to enforce any laws that might be passed in the future that would infringe upon the rights of gun owners.(Photo: Lisa Marie Pane/AP)

The recent push forSecond Amendment sanctuaries largely began in Virginia, where dozens of municipalities passed similar resolutions in response to gun control efforts in the Virginia General Assembly.

According to The Trace, anews outlet focused on covering gun violence, over 400 municipalities have passedsanctuary ordinances and resolutions nationwide, with many containing language that local law enforcement can not enforce potential gun control measures such as a ban on assault-style weapons.

ChristianSoltysiak, the interim executive director of gun-control advocacy group CeaseFire PA, called the Second Amendment sanctuary movement a "fear-mongering tactic."

"It doesn't make our communities any safer, and that's really what we should be talking about," Soltysiak said.

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The resolution states: "the right to keep and bear arms is a fundamental individual right that shall not be infringed.

Therefore, the Township of Jackson, County of Lebanon, Pennsylvania, shall hereby be known as a Second Amendment Sanctuary. No Township Officer shall uphold any law or statute nor expend any Township funds in any effort contrary to this resolution."

Jackson Township does not have its own police department, so this resolution will have few implications on any future gun control measures.

Bob Power, a professor emeritus of lawat Widener University School of Law, said the resolution as written does not limit the criminal justice system's ability to enforce the law.

"It's really just words," Power said. "I suspect that to a police officer or the district attorney it's a message, and the message is: 'We don't want you to come down hard on minor weapons offenses,'" Power said. "But they're not making it legally impossible."

Supervisor Thomas Morrissey said they wanted to make their opinionknown.

"We're just reaffirming our stance and support of the Second Amendment," Morrissey said.

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Why another Pa. town passed 2nd Amendment sanctuary rule even though it can't be enforced - Lebanon Daily News