The Pennsylvania House of Representatives is set to review several bills aimed at imposing stricter firearm restrictions and bans. The proposed legislation targets a range of issues, from prohibiting 3D-printed guns and parts to banning future sales of assault rifles, alongside implementing mental health requirements for gun ownership.
One of the bills proposes banning future sales of weapons identified as ‘assault weapons’.
One of the key pieces of legislation, HB336, introduced by Representatives Benjamin Sanchez (D-Montgomery County) and Aerion Abney (D-Allegheny County), seeks to ban the sale of assault weapons. Exceptions are outlined for members of the U.S. Armed Forces, Reserve, National Guard, or law enforcement when performing or traveling to and from official duties. The bill also states that individuals who lawfully owned such weapons before the enforcement of the new policy will not be affected.
Another significant proposal, HB335 by Rep. Sanchez, aims to classify “multi-burst trigger activators,” including binary triggers and slide fire/bump stocks, as offensive weapons, adding them to a list that currently includes machine guns, sawed-off shotguns, and grenades. Meanwhile, Rep. Melissa L. Shusterman (D-Chester County) has introduced HB1190, which would regulate 3D-printed firearms as standard firearms, requiring a license for 3D printing firearms or their components.
Further efforts to curb gun violence include HB1157 by Rep. Greg Scott (D-Montgomery County), which proposes reducing the timeframe for background checks from seven days to under 96 hours. Additionally, HB777, introduced by Reps. Morgan Cephas (D-Philadelphia) and Malcolm Kenyatta (D-Philadelphia), aims to ban the purchase, sale, and production of untraceable gun parts, often referred to as “ghost gun” parts, to close loopholes in current Pennsylvania law.