City of Pittsburgh officials yesterday backed state legislation that would require owners to report lost or stolen handguns to their local police.

City Council unanimously approved a nonbinding resolution calling for passage of legislation that, they said, has been bottled up in committee in Harrisburg. At an afternoon news conference, they were joined by Police Chief Nate Harper, Fraternal Order of Police President James Malloy and Ceasefire Pennsylvania Executive Director Joe Grace.

Lost and stolen handguns "find themselves at a crime scene in the hands of a killer," council President Doug Shields said. He added that gun dealers who buy guns and sell them to criminals -- called "straw purchasers" -- often pretend that they just "lost" the gun when it is traced back to them.

"Pennsylvania is a haven for straw purchasers, and that needs to be addressed," he said.

The legislation would "help to stem the tide of guns falling into the wrong hands," added Chief Harper. Council's resolution indicates that seven states already have lost-or-stolen handgun reporting laws.