Criminal Justice (Firearms)

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 568: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for gun violence task forces.

HB 568 establishes county-level "gun violence task forces" in Pennsylvania communities with high and increasing gun violence rates. These task forces, created upon a district attorney's written request to the Attorney General, investigate violations of firearm laws (sections 6105 and 6111 of Title 18) and recommend prosecutions. The task forces include local law enforcement, community stakeholders, faith leaders, and neighborhood representatives, operating under the Attorney General’s authority. The Attorney General gains authority to prosecute certain firearm offenses in these counties, considering factors like the severity of the offense and the offender’s criminal history, while local prosecutors may request prosecution for specific cases involving murder or violent crimes.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates community-involved gun violence task forces to investigate firearm law violations, promoting collaborative criminal justice reform and targeted enforcement.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 26, 2025

SB 348: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for report of theft or loss of firearm; and imposing a penalty.

SB 348 requires firearm owners or lawful possessors in Pennsylvania to report a lost or stolen firearm to local police within 24 hours, providing specific details like the serial number, model, and caliber. Police must then forward this information to the Pennsylvania State Police, who will share it with all law enforcement agencies to aid in locating the firearm. Violating this reporting requirement is a minor offense punishable by a fine of up to $500. The bill directly affects individuals who own or legally possess firearms, creating a new administrative duty to report losses or thefts.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires firearm theft reporting to aid law enforcement, enhancing public safety and police effectiveness in criminal justice context.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Policing

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 22, 2025

SB 769: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for safe storage of firearm when not in use; and imposing penalties.

SB 769 requires firearm owners in Pennsylvania to store guns safely when not in use, directly affecting all gun owners who store firearms outside of immediate personal carry. The bill mandates storage using a lockable device, a built-in firearm lock, or a securely locked container. Violations are minor offenses for first-time violations, misdemeanors for repeat offenses, and felonies if the unsecured firearm is used in a crime causing injury or death. The bill is pending in the Judiciary Committee and has not yet been voted on.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeMandates safe firearm storage to prevent accidental injuries/deaths, aligning with criminal justice reform goals of reducing gun violence and enhancing public safety.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Feb 12, 2025

HB 604: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for sale or transfer of firearms, for duties of the Pennsylvania State Police and for the offense of altering or obliterating marks of identification and providing for destruction of confiscated or recovered firearms.

HB 604 modifies Pennsylvania's firearms laws to clarify procedures for handling confiscated guns. It requires law enforcement to make "reasonable efforts" to return seized firearms to their lawful owners within 120 days, failing which the guns must be destroyed. If the owner is identified but prohibited from owning firearms, or if the owner cannot be found, destruction is mandatory under new rules. The bill also establishes a detailed registry for confiscated firearms (tracking serial numbers, make/model, and date seized) and specifies that guns can only be melted at state smelters after completing this process. This directly affects Pennsylvania State Police and local law enforcement agencies managing seized firearms.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires return of confiscated firearms to lawful owners, protecting civil rights under firearms procedures without expanding criminalization.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms Policing

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Apr 4, 2025

SB 559: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for definitions and for possession of firearm by minor; and making editorial changes.

SB 559 amends Pennsylvania law to restrict firearm and assault weapon possession by minors. It prohibits individuals under 18 from possessing standard firearms (with limited exceptions for supervised activities or hunting) and raises the age limit for assault weapons to under 21, barring possession without specific exemptions. The bill defines "assault weapon" to include firearms with features like detachable magazines, folding stocks, or specific grips, and lists exceptions for active-duty military personnel, peace officers, and weapon-carrying probation officers. Adults who knowingly provide firearms to minors in violation of these rules face felony charges, and illegally possessed firearms must be seized and forfeited upon conviction. The bill is currently pending in the Judiciary Committee.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRestricts minors' firearm access, preventing potential crimes under criminal law (Title 18 amendments).90% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms Probation & Parole

Track

failed · Pennsylvania · House Sep 30, 2025

HB 1859: An Act amending Titles 18 (Crimes and Offenses) and 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms and for abandonment of firearms, weapons or ammunition; in community and municipal courts, further providing for masters; adding provisions relating to extreme risk protection orders; imposing duties on the Office of Attorney General; and imposing penalties.

HB 1859 proposed changes to Pennsylvania's firearm laws, targeting individuals prohibited from possessing firearms (such as those under extreme risk protection orders) and establishing rules for safely surrendering firearms. It added provisions for "extreme risk protection orders" (court orders to temporarily remove firearms from high-risk individuals), clarified restrictions on firearm possession, and required the Attorney General to create a system for reporting firearm abandonment. The bill also updated procedures for community courts and imposed penalties for violations, but it was defeated in final passage on September 30, 2025.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeAdds extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) to prevent firearm access for high-risk individuals, aligning with criminal justice reform to reduce gun violence through court-ordered temporary removal.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Drug Policy Firearms

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 22, 2025

SB 768: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for safe storage of firearm when residing with a person not to possess a firearm; and imposing penalties.

Pennsylvania's SB 768 requires firearm owners living with someone who cannot legally possess a firearm (such as a convicted felon or someone under a restraining order) to store their guns securely. This means using a lockable device, built-in firearm lock, or locked container - except when the gun is carried on the person or within immediate reach. Violating this rule is a minor offense for a first violation, a misdemeanor for repeat offenses, and a felony if the improperly stored gun is used in a crime causing injury or death. The law directly affects households with gun owners and prohibited individuals, aiming to prevent unauthorized access. It takes effect 60 days after passage.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeRequires secure firearm storage for owners living with prohibited persons, preventing access and reducing gun violence - advancing public safety through criminal justice reform.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Domestic Violence Firearms

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · House Mar 20, 2025

HB 983: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for persons not to possess, use, manufacture, control, sell or transfer firearms and for sale or transfer of firearms and providing for Gun Violence Task Force in cities of the first class.

HB 983 establishes a Gun Violence Task Force in each of Pennsylvania's cities of the first class (such as Philadelphia and Pittsburgh), under the Attorney General's authority. The task force will investigate and prosecute violations of state laws prohibiting illegal firearm possession and sales. It will include members from local district attorneys, city police, state police, and other law enforcement agencies. The task force will be funded through state appropriations and requires member agencies to notify it of relevant arrests within 48 hours.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates Gun Violence Task Force to prosecute illegal firearm violations, strengthening enforcement within criminal justice framework.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Drug Policy Firearms Policing

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate Feb 20, 2025

SB 262: An Act amending Title 42 (Judiciary and Judicial Procedure) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in actions, proceedings and other matters generally, providing for extreme risk protection orders.

Pennsylvania's SB 262 creates a legal process for courts to temporarily remove firearms from individuals who pose a significant risk of harming themselves or others with a firearm. Family members, household members, or law enforcement can petition a court if they reasonably believe a person has firearms and is at risk of violence, requiring specific evidence like recent threats or acts. The court must hold a hearing within 14 days, and if it finds the risk is "more likely than not," it issues a one-year order requiring the person to surrender all firearms. The bill prohibits fees or bonds for petitioners and mandates law enforcement to enforce firearm surrender, with clear procedures for service, notice, and reporting.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeCreates court-ordered firearm removal for high-risk individuals, preventing violence and aligning with gun safety reform efforts to reduce gun-related harm.92% confidence

Sub-Topics Courts Firearms

Track

in committee · Pennsylvania · Senate May 22, 2025

SB 770: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in minors, providing for the offense of access to firearms by minors; and imposing penalties.

This Pennsylvania bill (SB 770) requires firearm owners to store guns securely on their premises if minors might access them without permission. It makes insecure storage a violation, with penalties ranging from a minor violation (first offense) to a felony (if the firearm is used in a crime causing death or injury). Key defenses include proving the gun was locked securely, the minor accessed it via unlawful entry, or the minor was under adult supervision during lawful activities like hunting. Retailers must post clear notices about these storage rules and penalties.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill mandates secure firearm storage to prevent minors from accessing guns, reducing potential gun-related crimes and promoting public safety within criminal justice framework.85% confidence

Sub-Topics Firearms

Track