PA State Rep. Angel Cruz is the bill’s primary sponsor. (Photo: PAHouse.com)
A bill making its way through the Pennsylvania General Assembly would require gun owners to register their firearms, notify the state police of any firearms transfer, and impose a yearly fee to renew a valid firearms registration card.
The bill, HB768, was introduced last week and has been referred to the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee. The Firearms Registration Act would force anyone who controls, transfers, offers for sale, sells, gives, delivers or accepts a firearm to obtain a “registration certificate” and renew that certificate for each firearm on an annual basis for a fee of $10 per firearm.
The bill also requires the Pennsylvania State Police to keep a permanent, updated record of all firearms registered in the state.
“I think the act as it is proposed is quite dangerous,” Alan Bernardi, a firearms instructor for the Harrisburg Hunters and Anglers Sports Club, told local media. “It leads to total gun confiscation. “In my opinion, it serves no good purpose. It accomplishes absolutely nothing.”
“How does it make you feel safer? Because you know who has a gun?,” Bernardi continued. “That doesn’t mean anything because the criminal, the violent person, isn’t going to comply with the law anyways.”
SEE ALSO: Pennsylvania Governor Calls for Total Ban on all Semi-Automatic Weapons
In order to obtain a registration certificate, applicants must provide their name, home and business address, telephone number, date of birth, Social Security number, age, sex and citizenship, along with two photographs taken within 30 days immediately prior to the date of filing the application showing the full face, head and shoulders of the applicant in a “clear and distinguishing manner.”
In addition, the applicant must provide the name of the manufacturer, the caliber or gauge, model, type and serial number of each firearm to be registered.
Finally, each applicant must submit fingerprinting to the Pennsylvania State Police and pass a criminal background check.
The bill would add to the list of Americans prohibited from owning a firearm by disqualifying anyone who has been convicted of any violent crime (as opposed to just felonies) and anyone convicted in the previous five years of a crime related to the “use, possession or sale of a narcotic or dangerous drug.”
SEE ALSO: Exclusive: Public Records Prove California Gun Registration Was a Total Disaster
Any registration certificate holder must notify the State Police within 48 hours if the registered firearm has been stolen, lost, destroyed, sold or transferred.
The new law also sneaks in a safe storage requirement by forcing registered gun owners to keep their firearms “unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock, gun safe or similar device” unless in the owner’s immediate possession.
Anyone who violates the registration requirement would be charged with a “summary offense,” which is the most minor type of criminal offense in Pennsylvania and usually comes with a fine but could result in up to 90 days in jail.
Republicans control both the House and the Senate in the Pennsylvania General Assembly.
Any person that is given any type of authority by the people, should be immediately removed from that position, when infringing on any part of the Constitution, or using their so called authority to enforce any type of sadistic amending codes and statues that contradict the Constitution. This also should include any military, police officers, sheriffs, constables, and such that are driven by the same evil higher authority to enforce these same codes and statues against the people. It’s time that “We the People” start holding these demons accountable, and start exercising our common right for compensation due to harm, injury, and loss, whether it be physical or mental, or any loss of property (Guns, ammo, magazines, etc.) Remember, these elected officials are sworn into office, by taking an oath, with their right hand on the Bible, to uphold the Constitution to its full extent, and also to protect and serve. To go against that which you took oath, and sworn to uphold is heresy and I consider you a traitor to my Freedoms. Your Fired !
The second amendment says it all and it will be backed by the people of this country and not by politicians who do not abide by the constitution. They should be put out of office.
To do the same thing over again but expect a different result each time is a common definition of insanity but democratic politicians always propose new gun control laws each time there is a shooting even though its common knowledge criminals ignore such laws. Therefore democratic politicians are by that very definition insane.
It sounds to me like they want to tax a protected right…
They can’t control there own house. But want to take over yours. They need to bring back the death penalty. Criminals are not dealt with with harsh enough. We the law abiding citizens are the victims. The war on drugs is a joke. To many people are getting rich looking the other way. It’s about time laws change so we can get are crooked political idiots out of the government. And all bills should be put up for public vote. These idiots make decisions that help themselves, not the everyday people that are the back bone of the great free country.
This bill is DEAD.Will never make it out of committee !!
I sure am glad I no longer live in Pennsylvania because that law would definitely turn me into a criminal because there is no way in hell I would register all my guns just to please some idiot politicians.
As usual, criminals always outsmart college degree politicians. They completely ignore every law passed. So what makes them think that a criminal will obey this one?
It is tiresome seeing a gun law proposed every 5 minutes in this country and then witnessing the weak, limp-wristed responses from gun owners who stop at merely complaining about this law or that. We need to do two things: 1) take back the gun control narrative from anti-gunners and socialist Democrats. There is no such thing as ‘gun violence.’ There is only violence—drug violence, political violence, domestic violence—call it by whatever species name you want, but it is violence. Only half of it is accomplished with a firearm each year. No discussion should be allowed to take place at any level using only misnomers. Call it what it is!
And 2) aside from the 2nd Amendment, there is only one sensible gun law—a law repealing every federal gun law and all state and local laws that infringe on the right to bear arms. Starting in 1934, this nation began the slippery slope of forfeiting our rights to appease socialist activists who would have us trade freedom for security, for safety government cannot provide the individual and for a ‘feel-good meme’ capable of comforting only the demure among us.
Stopping this trend is not enough. We have to reverse it! Repeal all gun laws…period.
These people have there head up there ass ! We need a place they can all go and live together and when crazy heartless thugs come to visit they can call there protectors to save them . Police show up after the fact. That’s how it works.
Why Do you need a Governor who violates the Constitution? When is the election of the NEW Governor? I am a gunsmith and an inventor, my second business building. My Daughter and wife persuade me to go to California, where we have a house. If This stupid law is passed, I’m forced to move. Today They are filming my fingerprints, tomorrow my skull will be measured, and the day after tomorrow will drive me into the gas chamber.
The bill is impractical. Now, let’s apply the same to voter ID and see what the rebuttal is.
To become a “criminal” under despotism means you are acting as a free man. Jefferson said nullify (ignore) unconstitutional acts.
When you purchase a pistol.revolver in PA there is a form already filled out the gives the State Police
a record of the purchase with the s/n, type. cal, and length of barrel. I doubt those records are being
destroyed.
The whole democratic gun grabber contingent are ignorant of current infringements to the 2A. I have bought a number of firearms over the internet. Guess what America, before I could take ownership of the firearm, I had to pass a background check at the receiving dealer. Also guess what, I get a background check at the gun show. I have rarely purchased from a individual, but yes, I can without a back ground check, that could be at your house, in the parking lot or at a gun show if you are a private owner selling your own stuff. But how many privately purchased firearms have been used to kill people? Doesn’t sound like many or else it would be headlines after any shooting. I tire of hearing the politicians carping about the “Loopholes”. The fact that is ignored also, as far as I can recall, all the sick humans that massacred many, used firearms legally purchased with background checks. (Las Vegas, Florida, Virginia) The legislation always proposed doesn’t address the problem, it is simply a politicized opportunity for the gun grabbers to take more freedom away to the end goal of confiscating firearms and un-arming the “People”.
Who really cares if all that documentation can legally apprehend the sick human and there is a paper trail back to who sold them the weapons. The people are already dead! Those already dead possibly weren’t armed because of the fear of not understanding the web of laws that carrying has surrounding it. Send the resource and the rhetoric on beginning to solve the sick human issue. A sane individual in the vast majority of cases isn’t going to kill innocent people.
Kimberpross,
It doesn’t matter how good of a citizen you are. It doesn’t matter when the PTB violate the law. All that matters is their ideology and their desire to rule over all Deplorables.
Truly, the time is coming to dispense lead.
This is just another was for the state of Pa. to fatten politicians pockets and controll the privacy and rights of the people who pay their enormous salaries, pensions, and bank accounts. I pray this dosn’t happen , but If the people of America don’t want to be another Venezuela they better stand up for our 2md amenment
I forgot to say also that the Chicago Democrats in Illinois have submitted 125 gun control bills to the Illinois legislature since Jan 2019. We will be worse than California by July.
With that type of attitude, you are 100% correct. The effort that you put into making comments on this thread, would be better put to use by contacting your Representatives and Senators, and letting them know how you feel, and also letting them know that you will be at the head of the pack to vote them out of office during their next election, if they pass any bill that infringes your rights. Let them know that you are a Man, and that you will hold them responsible.
We have to register new firearm purchases in Illinois now since Jan 2019. We have had the FOID card since 1969 in Illinois for residents to legally possess or purchase firearms or ammunition in the state. Criminals do not care about FOID cards. The get them when they need them. We have to show the FOID card to even handle a firearm in a gun store. Illinois Commy Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 337 that requires the state police to create an electronic transaction form for firearm transfers of any kind and a gun dealer licensing within the state. Another layer to force gun dealers out of business. You have to FOID card for any firearm transfer also. Vote it down Pennsylvania.
No Step On Snek!
Comparison between secret Nazi order (1941) and
PA House bill 768: Firearm Registration Act (2019)
Nazi Order Penn. Bill
Record for each gun Yes Yes
Government initiates record Yes No
Citizen applies for certificate N/A Yes
Gov.’t may reject application N/A Yes
Citizenship Yes Yes
Political party exemption Yes N/A
Full name Yes Yes
Woman’s maiden name Yes No
Date of birth Yes Yes
City of birth Yes No
Age No Yes
Sex No Yes
Social Security number No Yes
Home address Yes Yes
Telephone number No Yes
Occupation Yes No
Business address No Yes
Gun type and serial number Yes Yes
Ammunition type Yes No
Guns for hunting No Implied
Photos of applicant No Yes
Fingerprints No Yes
Background check Implied Yes
Add.’l necessary information Implied Yes
Expiration No 1 year
Annual fee per gun ? $10.00
Gun kept unusable unless… No Yes
Penalty: Jail 90 days No Yes
Penalty: Death per related laws Implied No
if both pa houses pass this law will think I should move to Missouri or 2nd amendment state.i am a collector and disabled ,military vet,and retired older than 65 yrs ,has the govenour lost his mind ?