Gun rights groups are celebrating tonight in Pennsylvania.  They have claimed that many local gun control laws are too restrictive. But today, Governor Tom Corbett signed a bill that erases local gun laws, and puts all authority with the state. 

It was only last year that a group called "Open Carry Pennsylvania" protested a City of Erie ordinance that prohibits guns inside municipal parks.  The group fought the Erie law all the way to Commonwealth Court, where it eventually won.

There would be no need for that fight this year with the passage of the new bill.

"We've been lobbying the governor for awhile now, and also our state representatives and our senate. I was just down in harrisburg two weeks ago lobbying for the bill to be passed and it was passed," said Justin Dillon, of Open Carry Pennsylvania.

 If a local government ignores the new law, and loses a challenge in court, it will now be up to that municipality to pay for the challenger's legal fees.  That pleases groups such as the NRA and Open Carry. 

"Yes, we will be looking at all municipalities, including the one here in Erie, to make sure that they comply with what the state law has written," says Dillon.

 Because of the new law, Erie City Solicitor Greg Karle and city council must sift through municipal ordinances to see if any changes must be made.

"If there's a need to make amendments to our ordinances, we'll certainly go ahead and do so to comply with the new law," said Karle.

Karle says one such ordinance may come under scrutiny. That ordinance makes it a summary offense for people who do not report stolen guns to police. 

Many big city mayors are protesting the new law.  They say their cities enacted their own gun control laws to combat crime, and now those laws are being taken away.