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Another tool proposed in fight against terrorism

Harrisburg Police block off sections of the street after a shooting, Friday, Dec. 22, 2017. A prosecutor says there's "no doubt" a gunman who fired at police in several locations in the capital city before they shot and killed him was targeting police officers. Authorities say Ahmed Aminamin El-Mofty fired at a Harrisburg police officer on Friday afternoon and later at a state trooper, wounding her. They say he later approached police with two handguns and fired many shots at them before they returned fire and killed him.

State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, R-10, has introduced what he called a common sense bill that limits life insurance payouts to beneficiaries of terrorists who die committing an act of terror — and redirects those benefits to victims.

“It's a real commonsense piece of legislation and I'm surprised something like this isn't in place currently,” Bernstine said about House Bill 1996, which he introduced last week.

Bernstine represents Slippery Rock Township in the House of Representatives.

Introduction of the bill was prompted by the Dec. 22 shooting in which an Egyptian immigrant fired gunshots at a Harrisburg police officer, striking his car several times before firing at a female state trooper who was struck and injured, he said.

Bernstine and the U.S. Homeland Security Department called it a terrorist attack. State and capitol police continue to investigate the shooting and haven't labeled it.

The bill was written and Bernstine was circulating it to get co-sponsors before the shooting, but the incident prompted him to introduce it.

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