Multiple Gun Control Bills Advance In PA House

HARRISBURG, PA — Pennsylvania House Democrats on Wednesday advanced several pieces of gun control legislation through a committee, part of a year-long effort to strengthen firearm regulations in the state.

The five bills, which include a ban on assault weapons and would also require firearms owners to put identification numbers on their guns, passed the House Judiciary Committee on party lines, PennLive.com reported.

“These are issues that we were clear at the beginning of the session we wanted to tackle,” committee chairman and Democratic Rep. Tim Briggs of Montgomery County said, according to The Associated Press. “The first thing we did was have a hearing on gun violence prevention measures.”

The bills now await the full House’s consideration. Even if passed in the House, the bills will likely face opposition in the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate.

Here’s a look at the bills that advanced Wednesday:

House Bill 335: HB 335 would prohibit the sale and possession of parts designed to accelerate the fire rate of a semiautomatic firearm to simulate the rate of fire of an automatic machine gun. This includes “bump stocks.”

House Bill 336: HB 336 would ban the possession and sale of assault weapons in the state. The bill would affect semiautomatic and burst-fire weapons, as well as guns that have features including military-style grips and magazines with a capacity of greater than 10 rounds.

House Bill 777: HB 777 would require individuals who make guns to put serial numbers on the firearm’s parts. Guns without serial numbers are often referred to as “ghost guns,” which are untraceable firearms that anyone can buy without undergoing a background check.

The bill would also require serial numbers to be stamped on gun parts that are not otherwise required to be serialized under federal firearms law.

House Bill 1157: HB 1157 would shorten the time that courts have to report to state police if a person’s mental health status would disqualify them from owning a firearm. If passed, the bill would reduce the timeframe for notification from seven days to between 72 and 96 hours.

House Bill 1190: HB 1190 would require 3-D-printed firearms to be treated as standard firearms and subjected to all standing laws and regulations. The bill would also prohibit anyone from printing a firearm without a federal license.

As the bills move through the House, Republicans have expressed concern about the legislation infringing on constitutional rights, according to The AP.

“If the government can infringe on our Second Amendment rights, no rights can be enjoyed by citizens of this nation,” said Rep. Joe Hamm, a Republican from Lycoming County.

Adam Garber, executive director of gun violence prevention group CeaseFirePA, said the advancing of the bills showed a “commitment to survivors,” The AP reported.

“This is what it looks like to tackle the violent crime that plagues cities from Philadelphia to Pittsburgh and everywhere else in between,” Garber said.