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PA House Bill 768 - Statewide Gun Registration

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March 15, 2019, 05:55 AM
Rinehart
PA House Bill 768 - Statewide Gun Registration
I didn't find this already posted-

And here I was thinking I lived in a free state-


Pennsylvania bill would impose statewide gun registration on ALL residents Pennsylvania bill would impose statewide gun registration on ALL residents

Posted on March 13, 2019

The National Sentinel
By Jon Dougherty

Legislation currently making its way through the Pennsylvania Assembly would require all residents of the state to register the guns with the state police if passed.

House Bill 768 would establish a registration process that includes:

• Name, age, sex and date of birth
• Personal and business addresses
• Telephone number
• Social security number
• Citizenship status
• Make, model, caliber/gauge, type and serial number of each firearm
• Two photographs taken within 30 days immediately prior to the date of filing the application equivalent to passport size showing the full face, head and shoulders of the applicant in a clear and distinguishing manner
• Fingerprints

Applications would be approved — or denied — within 30 days. If approved by state masters, gun owners would be provided with a certificate which they must then carry with the registered firearm at all times.

Also, the bill allows police to randomly stop gun owners to see if they are carrying their government-issued certificate.

Each gun certificate would have to be renewed every year, and — most likely — there will be a fee for registration since it will require the state to pay someone to process the paperwork.

“It shall be the duty of a person owning or possessing a firearm to cause the firearm to be registered. No person within this Commonwealth may possess, harbor, have under the person’s control, transfer, offer for sale, sell, give, deliver or accept a firearm unless the person is the holder of a valid registration certificate for the firearm,” the bill reads.

“No person within this Commonwealth may possess, harbor, have under the person’s control, transfer, offer for sale, sell, deliver or accept a firearm which is unregisterable under this act.”

Without question, this bill would pose an “infringement” on the right to keep and bear arms that is supposedly guaranteed by the Second Amendment — not to mention it would instantly turn all gun owners into criminals if they failed to register with government masters.
As TownHall notes, grandfathers who want to pass their heirloom shotguns down to sons or daughters — or grandkids — would require the receiver to register it. If a female friend is fearful of an abusive boyfriend, Pennsylvanians would be forbidden from lending her a handgun for self-defense. And so on.

Naturally, under the bill, all police officers, federal agents, and other government officials are exempted:

(1) Firearms owned or under the direct control or custody of a Federal, State or local governmental authority maintained in the course of its official duties.

2) Duty-related firearms owned and possessed by law enforcement officers who are not residents of this Commonwealth.

(3) Duty-related firearms owned and possessed by corrections officers who are not residents of this Commonwealth.

(4) Firearms owned, manufactured or processed by licensed manufacturers of firearms, bulk transporters or licensed sellers of firearms at wholesale or retail, provided that such persons have all licenses required by law.

(5) A nonresident of this Commonwealth participating in a lawful recreational firearm-related activity in this Commonwealth, or on the way to or from the firearm-related activity in another jurisdiction, provided that the possession or control of the firearm is lawful in the jurisdiction in which the individual resides and that the weapon is either:

(i) Broken down in a nonfunctioning state.
(ii) Unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm carrying box, shipping box or other container.

(6) Private security personnel who possess or control a firearm or ammunition within this Commonwealth. Firearms under this paragraph shall be owned and maintained by the security firm employing the security personnel and shall be registered by the security firm in accordance with this section.

If the measure passes it is very likely going to be challenged as an unconstitutional infringement on the right to keep and bear arms. But what would have been a slam-dunk rejection once upon a time is no sure bet in a day and age when the federal judiciary is filled with activist judges instead of constitutionalists.

Gun registration is the precursor to gun confiscation. No wonder gun owners are concerned; the Second Amendment is constantly under attack by big government statists.

PA House Bill 768
March 15, 2019, 06:49 AM
Cousin Vinnie
With PA bordering NJ, it was only a matter of time before the gun control pollution spread. Personally, I am surprised it has taken this long for this infringement proposal to raise it's head. Hopefully this proposal gets beaten down.....
March 15, 2019, 10:29 AM
hjs157
quote:
Hopefully this proposal gets beaten down.....


Given the fact 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6111.4 specifically prohibits the registration of firearms, I can't envision a scenario where this type of legislation could gain traction in PA. In the unlikely event Harrisburg did pass such legislation, there would be widespread noncompliance to the point of unenforceability.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: hjs157,
March 15, 2019, 02:32 PM
Av8nShooter
quote:
Originally posted by hjs157:
quote:
Hopefully this proposal gets beaten down.....


Given the fact 18 Pa.C.S.A. § 6111.4 specifically prohibits the registration of firearms, I can't envision a scenario where this type of legislation could gain traction in PA. .


I certainly hope that hjs157 is correct. PA is generally firearm tolerant, if not firearm friendly. Certainly not firearm hostile as NY or NJ. The PA Constitution served as one of the models for the Second Amendment regarding our right to bear arms "shall not be questioned".

A couple of salient points in the current draft of PA H.B. 768:
1. Registration is only valid for one year and must be renewed each year thereafter.
2. Cost of $10.00 per firearm.
3. You must reapply 60-days before the registration lapses.
4. You file an application for registration which must be approved. If application is denied, you have 10-days to appeal the denial. If your appeal is denied, you have 3-days to surrender your firearm to the State Police.

This Bill is now in Judicial Review.

The Bill is sponsored by three Philadelphia Representatives and one from neighboring Montgomery County.

I am also hopeful that this Bill dies a quick death.

Watching what liberal politicians are up to can be a very scary experience. I hope the public awakens quickly.
March 15, 2019, 03:16 PM
hjs157
For members in other states who may be following this thread:

The Constitution of Pennsylvania: Article I § 21. Right to bear arms.

The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned.

When compared to 2A, the PA language is even less open to arbitrary interpretation.
March 15, 2019, 07:40 PM
Rinehart
The Harrisburg crowd is out of control, but Pittsburgh Anti-2nd Amendment Mayor Peduto really scares me.

He's so far left he makes AOC look like Bill O'Reilly.
March 16, 2019, 04:45 PM
mark60
I was reading the actual bill this morning and was surprised they're trying to one up NY, NY, and Cali. Register ALL firearms, re-register all firearms annually and charge 10 bucks per firearm annually. If your application is denied you must surrender the firearm. They're certainly no longer hiding their intentions. This should enrage all the hunters in PA.
March 16, 2019, 07:42 PM
kr350psd
You would have a better chance of enforcing a law like that in Fallujah than you would in NW Pa.


March 16, 2019, 08:57 PM
TRIO
We should NOT sit still for these threats to our freedom!

http://www.2arally.com


--Tom
The right of self preservation, in turn, was understood as the right to defend oneself against attacks by lawless individuals, or, if absolutely necessary, to resist and throw off a tyrannical government.
March 16, 2019, 09:44 PM
TRIO
Looks like a repeat of 2015 HB 503

Looks like they will keep on trying for this.

Seven sponsors of that bill, no surprise, all 'D'
March 17, 2019, 01:39 PM
pointman73
The talk around Philly is non compliance with any horseshit illegal law if passed. There are enough shit sammiches that we eat in this area. Parking fees and ticketing, traffic, higher insurance, higher taxes, city wage tax, sugary drink tax, higher insurance costs, a pussy cop and gun haters for DA, mayor, and councilmembers, stores in the ghetto can't use bullet resistant glass to protect employees from murder, widespread drug addicts, and the influx of "refugees".

I was happy to move back home to Philly years ago, but now since I'm moving back down South shortly, it's a relief.


Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.
March 19, 2019, 09:30 AM
Rinehart
My older son did a Penn State URSA program last year in Philadelphia. I hadn't been back to Philly in probably 10 years or so.
Gads, what a change in a city... When we stopped at a gas station by the park there I counted three different homeless folks sitting against the front of the building. Once there were enough cars one of them would make a circuit through the cars and other would hit up people going in. Things have changed there and not for the better.
March 30, 2019, 07:05 AM
Blume9mm
I would assume the proposed bill is just one of the that politicians will throw out with no chance of even making it through committee so they can brag that they tried when the next election comes up.

We had a state legislator here S.C. that for years would submit 'pro gun' bills and then he would end up axing them himself when it went to his committee.. for a long time no citizen would attend the committee meeting and did not realize what was gong on....


My Native American Name:
"Runs with Scissors"
May 06, 2019, 01:11 AM
Popcorn
Looks like the demonrats want to turn PA into Pennazistan. Its already happened to NewYorkistan!

I wonder what will happen for the NewYorkers with PA pistol licenses that travel around the border of PA.
August 06, 2019, 03:13 AM
triaxle
We need to VOTE them out , ten is just the start this bill is a joke and shows what they want to do , Wake up PA. 10 buck`s a gun it will quickly turn to 50 a gun . then you have to turn this and this in .
August 26, 2019, 10:01 PM
Popcorn
quote:
Originally posted by triaxle:
We need to VOTE them out , ten is just the start this bill is a joke and shows what they want to do , Wake up PA. 10 buck`s a gun it will quickly turn to 50 a gun . then you have to turn this and this in .


How many do you think will actually comply (?)
August 27, 2019, 05:07 PM
greco
quote:
Applications would be approved — or denied — within 30 days. If approved by state masters....gun

Masters

I am not in PA, but this looks like a left wing
Go around of the Constitution. And if it goes through, a template for the rest of America.

That was enough for me. They will never be removed from my possession. Never. My family fought the Nazis from their own homes and villages. My cousins and brother in SE Asia. Other cousins fighting tyrants in the ME. And many, many died. No. Not here.




Never be more than one step away from your sword-Old Greek Wisdom
October 15, 2019, 08:41 AM
SCfromNY
Th liberal states of NY and CT have already demanded registration of "Asault Rifles". As of last count about 10% have complied and that's in a liberal state.

Since NJ passed the 10 round mag law and demanded that larger mags were either destroyed or sent to the State Police the state Police have not received ONE large capacity mag.

How does anyone think these laws, if passed would work in free states?


__________________Making Good People Helpless . . . Will Not Make Bad People Harmless!___________________
November 15, 2019, 09:36 AM
SCfromNY
I keep reading how once very gun friendly states like PA. and VA. have gone to the dark side and wonder how can it happen? Is it a lack of vigilance by gun owners? Are we suddenly that much outnumbered? We need to fins answers soon or our yearly renewal to NRA & GOA will mean less than it does now.


__________________Making Good People Helpless . . . Will Not Make Bad People Harmless!___________________
November 17, 2019, 05:09 PM
burnetma
quote:
Originally posted by SCfromNY:
I keep reading how once very gun friendly states like PA. and VA. have gone to the dark side and wonder how can it happen? Is it a lack of vigilance by gun owners? Are we suddenly that much outnumbered? We need to fins answers soon or our yearly renewal to NRA & GOA will mean less than it does now.


Spot on.