Last week, the Pennsylvania state House Judiciary Committee held hearings on “Gun Laws and Violence” where numerous bills seeking to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights were discussed. Please contact House Judiciary Committee members as well as your state Legislators and urge them to OPPOSE any new gun control. Click the “Take Action” button below to contact committee members and your state Legislators.
Senate Bill 17, sponsored by Senator Wayne Fontana (D-42), would ban most modern semi-automatic rifles, almost all semi-automatic handguns, and ammunition magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition. Current owners of the firearms would be required to obtain a “certificate of possession” every four years to retain them, which could be denied arbitrarily based on “character and reputation.”
Senate Bill 18, sponsored by Senator Fontana, would allow for Second Amendment rights to be revoked without due process of law in ex parte hearings where the respondent is not present to challenge the accuser and defend against allegations made against them. It would also provide immunity to the applicant, even if they make purposeful omissions or misstatements in the petition for restraining orders.
House Bill 832, sponsored by Representative Madeleine Dean (D-153), would criminalize the failure to report a firearm stolen within 72 hours. Individuals should not be further victimized after experiencing a burglary or other loss.
House Bill 1233, sponsored by Representative Thomas Murt (R-152), would designate more individuals as “qualified professionals” in order to allow them to have others committed for mental health reasons under Section 302 without any due process.
House Bill 1400, sponsored by Representative James Santora (R-163), and House Bill 2249, sponsored by Representative Thomas Murt (R-152), would criminalize the private transfer of firearms.
House Bill 1872, sponsored by Representative Madeleine Dean (D-153), includes poorly written, vague language that could criminalize modifications commonly made to firearms by law-abiding citizens in order to make their firearms more user friendly and suitable for self-defense, competition, hunting, and even adapting to physical disability. Many of these modifications simply make it easier to deliver accurate and controlled shots with less physical discomfort for the shooter without fundamentally changing the mechanics of how a firearm operates.
House Bill 2097, sponsored by Representative Jason Dawkins (D-179), would violate the right to due process by removing Second Amendment rights from those arrested for or charged with domestic violence offenses but not convicted.
House Bill 2109, sponsored by Representative Stephen McCarter (D-154), seeks to create “firearm restraining orders” which would allow Second Amendment rights to be stripped in ex parte hearings where the respondent is not present to challenge the accuser and defend against allegations made against them.
House Bill 2216, sponsored by Representative Warren Kampf (R-157), also includes poorly written, vague language that could criminalize modifications commonly made to firearms by law-abiding citizens in order to make their firearms more user friendly and suitable for self-defense, competition, hunting, and even adapting to physical disability. In addition, it would also ban ammunition magazines capable of holding more than ten rounds of ammunition.
House Bill 2251, sponsored by Representative Thomas Murt (R-152), would require a background check for the purchase of ammunition, prohibit mail ordering ammunition, and prohibit the interstate purchase of ammunition without it going through a licensed firearm dealer with a background check.
House Bill 2252, sponsored by Representative Thomas Murt (R-152), is redundant legislation that would codify existing federal law into Pennsylvania law.
Again, please contact House Judiciary Committee members and your state Legislators and urge them to OPPOSE any new gun control.
Chair: Rep. Ron Marsico (R-105) 717-783-2014
Democratic Chair: Rep. Joseph Petrarca (D-55) (717) 787-5142
Secretary: Rep. Tarah Toohil (R-116) (717) 260-6136
Rep. Stephen Bloom (R-199) (717) 772-2280
Rep. Becky Corbin (R-155) (717) 783-2520
Rep. Sheryl Delozier (R-88) (717) 783-5282
Rep. Harold English (R-30) (717) 260-6407
Rep. Garth Everett (R-84) (717) 787-5270
Rep. Barry Jozwiak (R-5) (717) 772-9940
Rep. Kate Klunk (R-169) (717) 787-4790
Rep. Jerry Knowles (R-124) (717) 787-9029
Rep. Tedd Nesbit (R-8) (717) 783-6438
Rep. Rick Saccone (R-39) (717) 260-6122
Rep. Paul Schemel (R-90) (717) 783-5218
Rep. Todd Stephens (R-151) (717) 260-6163
Rep. Jesse Topper (R-78) (717) 787-7076
Rep. Martina White (R-170) (717) 787-6740
Rep. Bryan Barbin (D-71) (717) 783-1491
Rep. Ryan Bizzaro (D-3) (717) 772-2297
Rep. Tim Briggs (D-149) (717) 705-7011
Rep. Dom Costa (D-21) (717) 783-9114
Rep. Tina Davis (D-141) (717) 783-4903
Rep. Jason Dawkins (D-179) (717) 787-1354
Rep. Madeleine Dean (D-153) (717) 783-7619
Rep. Joanna McClinton (D-191) (717) 772-9850
Rep. Dan Miller (D-42) (717) 783-1850
Rep. Gerald Mullery (D-119) (717) 783-4893