Recent school and mass shootings, including a public elementary school in Uvalde, Texas; a Wal-Mart in Chesapeake, Virginia; a private elementary school in Nashville, Tennessee; and a synagogue in Squirrel Hill, make it clear that no community is safe from gun violence. In fact, according to Cease Fire Pennsylvania, there have been more than 100 mass shootings in Pennsylvania over the last five years.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, gun deaths in Pennsylvania have spiked over the last few years, from 11.7 deaths per 100,000 people in 2019 to 13.6 deaths in 2020. Moreover, in 2020, gun violence overtook car accidents as the number one cause of death for children and teens.

Possible Changes to Pennsylvania Law

In the wake of so many mass shootings, the Democrats in charge of Pennsylvania's House are now discussing substantive changes to Pennsylvania gun laws. On March 23, 2023, the House Judiciary Committee held a hearing on gun violence and indicated they intend to move forward with legislation by summer. Some of the topics up for legislative changes include:

• Requiring guns to be kept under child-proof locks,
• Requiring owners to report lost or stolen guns to the police within a specified time after discovering them missing, and
• Expanding background checks to include the sale of long guns between private parties who aren't licensed dealers, the so-called “gun show loophole.”

Hearing Witnesses on Gun Violence

Witnesses spoke about the problems caused by unfettered gun access at the hearing. Erin O'Brien, a Chester County District Attorney's Office prosecutor, described a case where a four-year-old child died after finding and playing with his 18-year-old brother's gun. She said, “I learned that there are no words to tell a mother than her 4-year-old baby is gone and her 18-year-old son will have to live with the consequences.”

At the same time, Republican legislatures pushed back during the hearing. Former House Judiciary Committee chair Rob Kauffman, R-Franklin, spoke out against mandatory time limits for stolen or lost guns, noting, “I don't survey my firearms on a daily basis, I don't walk around looking for them. If it was gone, I might not know until I go to the range and see that it is missing. That doesn't make me a criminal. That makes me a law-abiding gun owner who's a victim of a crime.”

While potential changes will no doubt face much debate before the Pennsylvania legislature, if you are a gun owner, it's a good idea to follow potential legislative changes and how they may affect your rights and responsibilities as a gun owner. If these changes become law, you could face charges for a lost or stolen weapon or improperly storing or selling a gun.

You Need The LLF Law Firm Team

If you're facing gun charges in Pennsylvania, you need an experienced lawyer immediately. Our experienced Criminal Law Team at the LLF Law Firm have been protecting the rights of Pennsylvanians in the criminal justice system for years, and we can help you too. Call the LLF Law Firm at 888-535-3686, or contact us online to schedule your consultation.