PA House Judiciary Committee moves forward with gun measures

Democrats in majority control of the Pennsylvania House of Representatives advanced several gun measures, including one that would ban sales of automatic and semi-automatic guns, after years of standstill in the politically divided state government, reported The Associated Press.

The bills were passed by the Judiciary Committee on party lines and await the full House’s consideration.

Even if the bills clear the House floor, however, they will likely face a cold reception in the state Senate; other gun control measures passed by the House last year did not even get called up in committee. Instead, senators have prioritized working with Democrats to boost funding for anti-violence and mental health programs.

Still, it’s the second time since Democrats regained majority status in the chamber that they’ve used their heft to push gun control measures. They kicked off the current two-year session last March with a hearing on gun violence. Under Republican majorities in both chambers until last year, the Legislature has not seriously considered broadening gun-control measures since 2018.

The slate of bills that passed Judiciary on Wednesday would balance gun ownership with protecting average citizens, Democrats argued.

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

Republicans raised concerns about infringing upon constitutional rights.

“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.

One bill the committee approved would ban future sales of “assault weapons,” defined as automatic and semi-automatic firearms. Sponsors cited the use of high-capacity semi-automatic rifles in a number of mass shootings, including in Pittsburgh, where a gunman carried out the deadliest antisemitic attack in U.S. history in 2018 armed with an AR-15 rifle and other weapons.

Previously, Democratic Gov. Josh Shapiro has said he’d support legislation that limits the availability of such firearms. At least 10 states have enacted laws banning them, sometimes spurring litigation.

Among the other legislation that passed the committee, one bill would prohibit accelerated trigger activators, which increase the rate of gunfire. Another bill would prohibit the purchase, sale and production of untraceable gun parts. A fourth would subject 3D-printed firearms to the same regulations as standard firearms.

Another bill would shorten the time a judge has to notify the Pennsylvania State Police about a person with mental health from about a week to four days.

Adam Garber, executive director of CeaseFirePA, a gun violence prevention group, said the advancing of the bills showed a “commitment to survivors.” He called the automatic weapons ban proposal the first such effort in “modern times.”

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