PRINTER'S NO. 2622
No. 2011 Session of 1989
INTRODUCED BY TANGRETTI, MANDERINO, KUKOVICH, MARKOSEK, SALOOM,
STAIRS, PETRARCA, VAN HORNE, COHEN, COLAIZZO, PRESSMANN,
STISH, LEVDANSKY, ROBINSON, MELIO, BELARDI, MICHLOVIC, PESCI,
BORTNER, FOX, HALUSKA, OLASZ, BELFANTI, ARGALL, JOSEPHS,
FAIRCHILD, FARGO, LLOYD, KOSINSKI, NAHILL, GIGLIOTTI,
COLAFELLA, MORRIS, McVERRY, JOHNSON, LINTON, RYBAK, STABACK,
TRICH, MERRY, MARSICO AND TRELLO, OCTOBER 17, 1989
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, OCTOBER 17, 1989
AN ACT
1 Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
2 Consolidated Statutes, prohibiting the possession of a
3 firearm or other dangerous weapon in a court facility.
4 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
5 hereby enacts as follows:
6 Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
7 Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
8 § 913. Possession of firearm or other dangerous weapon in court
9 facility.
10 (a) Offense defined.--A person commits an offense if he:
11 (1) knowingly possesses a firearm or other dangerous
12 weapon in a court facility or knowingly causes a firearm or
13 other dangerous weapon to be present in a court facility; or
14 (2) knowingly possesses a firearm or other dangerous
15 weapon in a court facility with the intent that the firearm
16 or other dangerous weapon be used in the commission of a
1 crime or knowingly causes a firearm or other dangerous weapon
2 to be present in a court facility with the intent that the
3 firearm or other dangerous weapon be used in the commission
4 of a crime.
5 (b) Grading.--An offense under subsection (a)(1) is a
6 misdemeanor of the third degree. An offense under subsection
7 (a)(2) is a misdemeanor of the first degree.
8 (c) Exceptions.--Subsection (a) shall not apply:
9 (1) To the lawful performance of official duties by an
10 officer, agent or employee of the United States, the
11 Commonwealth or a political subdivision who is authorized by
12 law to engage in or supervise the prevention, detection,
13 investigation or prosecution of any violation of law.
14 (2) To the lawful performance of official duties by a
15 court official.
16 (d) Power of court preserved.--Nothing in this section shall
17 limit the power of a court to punish for contempt or to
18 promulgate rules or orders regulating, restricting or
19 prohibiting the possession of firearms or other dangerous
20 weapons within any building housing the court or any of its
21 proceedings or upon any grounds appurtenant to a building
22 housing the court.
23 (e) Posting of notice.--Notice of the provisions of
24 subsection (a) shall be posted conspicuously at each public
25 entrance to each court facility, and no person shall be
26 convicted of an offense under subsection (a) with respect to a
27 court facility if the notice was not so posted at the facility,
28 unless the person had actual notice of the provisions of
29 subsection (a).
30 (f) Definitions.--As used in this section, the following
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1 words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
2 subsection:
3 "Court facility." The courtroom of a court of record;
4 judge's chambers; witness room; jury deliberation rooms;
5 attorney conference rooms; prisoner holding cells; offices of
6 court clerks, the district attorney, the sheriff and probation
7 and parole officers; and any adjoining corridors.
8 "Dangerous weapon." A bomb, grenade, blackjack, sandbag,
9 metal knuckles, dagger, knife, razor or cutting instrument, the
10 blade of which is exposed in an automatic way by switch, push-
11 button, spring mechanism, or otherwise, or other implement for
12 the infliction of serious bodily injury which serves no common
13 lawful purpose.
14 "Firearm." Any pistol or revolver with a barrel less than 12
15 inches, any shotgun with a barrel less than 24 inches or any
16 rifle with a barrel less than 15 inches.
17 Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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