Today, the Pennsylvania House voted on a package of gun control bills with two of the three bills defeated on floor votes. The House gave preliminary approval to HB 1866 (machine gun conversion devices), and a final vote could come as early as tomorrow morning. It's critical that NRA members and Second Amendment supporters stay engaged! Continue to contact your Representative to encourage them to oppose HB 1866.
The following bills received floor votes in the House on Tuesday:
HB 1099 is labeled as “ghost gun” legislation; however, this bill is not that. Rather, it attempts to create state law mirroring federal “undetectable” firearms law, but it fails and creates additional issues. This bill is problematic because it would adopt a state statute with language differing from federal law, potentially creating problems with interpretation and misapplied enforcement. HB 1099 also lacks the exceptions present in federal law, leaving law-abiding citizens vulnerable to prosecution. HB 1099 was defeated by a vote of 101 to 102.
HB 1593 would mandate universal background checks. Every dealer transaction in the country already must pass a background check. This bill does not keep guns out of the hands of criminals. This type of legislation results in more costly, bureaucratic red tape. The Commonwealth’s PICS check is also notorious for lengthy delays, denying purchasers with an urgent self-defense need. HB 1593 passed the House 104 to 99.
HB 1859 creates emergency protection orders. These so-called “red flag” laws are susceptible to abuse and have no repercussions for making false accusations. The orders are granted ex parte, with little to no due process. This bill failed by a vote of 101 to 102.
Please stay tuned to the NRA-ILA website and your inbox for updates as this legislative session progresses.