PRINTER'S NO. 881
No. 760 Session of 2007
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, PARKER, WHEATLEY, BENNINGTON AND CURRY, MARCH 19, 2007
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 19, 2007
AN ACT 1 Relating to firearm registration; providing for duties of the 2 Pennsylvania State Police; and imposing penalties. 3 The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania 4 hereby enacts as follows: 5 Section 1. Short title. 6 This act shall be known and may be cited as the Firearm 7 Registration Act. 8 Section 2. Definitions. 9 The following words and phrases when used in this act shall 10 have the meanings given to them in this section unless the 11 context clearly indicates otherwise: 12 "Antique firearm." Includes: 13 (1) Any firearm, including any firearm with a matchlock, 14 flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system, 15 manufactured in or before 1898. 16 (2) Any replica of any firearm described in paragraph 17 (1) if the replica:
1 (i) is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire 2 or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition; or 3 (ii) uses rimfire or conventional centerfire 4 ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the United 5 States and that is not readily available in the ordinary 6 channels of commercial trade. 7 (3) Any firearm, other than a machine gun, which, 8 although designed as a weapon, the Pennsylvania State Police 9 finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design 10 and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and 11 is not likely to be used as a weapon. 12 "Firearm." A weapon which will or is designed or restored to 13 expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of any 14 explosive, the frame or receiver of any such device or any 15 firearm muffler or silencer. The term shall not include: 16 (1) Antique firearms. 17 (2) Any device used exclusively for line-throwing, 18 signaling or safety and required or recommended by the United 19 States Coast Guard or Interstate Commerce Commission. 20 (3) Any device used exclusively for firing explosives, 21 rivets, stud cartridges or any similar industrial ammunition 22 incapable of use as a weapon. 23 Section 3. Registration. 24 (a) General rule.--All firearms in this Commonwealth shall 25 be registered in accordance with this section. It shall be the 26 duty of a person owning or possessing any firearm to cause the 27 firearm to be registered. No person within this Commonwealth may 28 possess, harbor, have under the person's control, transfer, 29 offer for sale, sell, give, deliver or accept any firearm unless 30 the person is the holder of a valid registration certificate for 20070H0760B0881 - 2 -
1 the firearm. No person within this Commonwealth may possess, 2 harbor, have under the person's control, transfer, offer for 3 sale, sell, deliver or accept any firearm which is 4 unregisterable under this act. 5 (b) Nonapplicability.--This section shall not apply to: 6 (1) Firearms owned or under the direct control or 7 custody of any Federal, State or local governmental authority 8 maintained in the course of its official duties. 9 (2) Duty-related firearms owned and possessed by law 10 enforcement officers who are not residents of this 11 Commonwealth. 12 (3) Duty-related firearms owned and possessed by 13 corrections officers who are not residents of this 14 Commonwealth. 15 (4) Firearms owned, manufactured or processed by 16 licensed manufacturers of firearms, bulk transporters or 17 licensed sellers of firearms at wholesale or retail, provided 18 that such persons have all licenses required by law. 19 (5) Any nonresident of this Commonwealth participating 20 in any lawful recreational firearm-related activity in this 21 Commonwealth, or on the way to or from the firearm-related 22 activity in another jurisdiction, provided that the 23 possession or control of the firearm is lawful in the 24 jurisdiction in which the individual resides and that the 25 weapon is either: 26 (i) Broken down in a nonfunctioning state. 27 (ii) Unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm- 28 carrying box, shipping box or other container. 29 (6) Private security personnel who possess or control 30 any firearm or ammunition within this Commonwealth. Firearms 20070H0760B0881 - 3 -
1 under this paragraph shall be owned and maintained by the 2 security firm employing the security personnel and shall be 3 registered by the security firm in accordance with this 4 section. 5 Section 4. Insurance. 6 (a) General rule.--No registration certificate shall be 7 issued to any person unless the person: 8 (1) Has not been convicted of a crime of violence. 9 (2) Has not been convicted within the five years prior 10 to the application of any violation of any law relating to 11 the use, possession or sale of any narcotic or dangerous 12 drug. 13 (3) Is not otherwise ineligible to possess a firearm 14 under any Federal or State law. 15 (b) Application.--Every person who is required to register a 16 firearm under this act shall obtain an application for 17 registration of the firearm from the Pennsylvania State Police. 18 The application shall be in writing and sworn under oath and 19 shall require the following information: 20 (1) The name, home and business address, telephone 21 number, date of birth and Social Security number of the 22 applicant. 23 (2) The age, sex and citizenship of the applicant. 24 (3) The name of the manufacturer, the caliber or gauge, 25 the model, type and serial number of each firearm to be 26 registered. 27 (4) Two photographs taken within 30 days immediately 28 prior to the date of filing the application equivalent to 29 passport size showing the full face, head and shoulders of 30 the applicant in a clear and distinguishing manner. 20070H0760B0881 - 4 -
1 (5) Additional information as the Pennsylvania State 2 Police may deem necessary to process the application. 3 (c) Fingerprinting.--The applicant or registrant shall 4 submit to fingerprinting by the Pennsylvania State Police in 5 accordance with procedures and regulations prescribed by the 6 Pennsylvania State Police. 7 (d) Records.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall cause to 8 be kept an accurate record of each application received and 9 acted upon together with all other information and data 10 pertaining to the application on all applications for owner's 11 registration certificates issued or denied under this act. 12 Applications for owner's registration certificates shall be 13 numbered in consecutive numbers as filed, and each certificate 14 issued shall be identified with the duplicate number of the 15 application upon which it was issued and shall expire 16 automatically one year from the date of issuance. 17 (e) Background check.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall 18 conduct a criminal background check on the applicant to ensure 19 compliance with this section. No application may be approved 20 until and unless a criminal background check is completed. 21 (f) Procedure.--Within 30 days of receipt of an application, 22 the Pennsylvania State Police, after consideration of the 23 application for an owner's registration certificate and all 24 information obtained relative to the application, shall either 25 approve or deny the application and notify the applicant in 26 writing of the determination. 27 (g) Approval.--In the event the application is approved, the 28 Pennsylvania State Police shall issue to the applicant an 29 owner's registration certificate which shall contain the 30 applicant's name, residence, date of birth, photograph and other 20070H0760B0881 - 5 -
1 personal information as may be required by the Pennsylvania 2 State Police. The owner's registration certificate shall not be 3 transferable and shall be carried simultaneously with the 4 firearm and shall be exhibited to any police officer upon demand 5 for inspection. Registration shall not make lawful the carrying 6 or possessing of a firearm if prohibited by law. 7 (h) Denial.--In the event the application is denied, the 8 Pennsylvania State Police shall inform the applicant in writing 9 of the denial. Any applicant who believes that the applicant's 10 application is wrongfully denied may, within ten days after 11 receiving notice of the denial, file a written appeal of the 12 denial in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. (relating to administrative 13 law and procedure). Within three days after notification of a 14 decision unfavorable to the applicant and all time for appeal 15 having expired, the applicant shall surrender to the 16 Pennsylvania State Police the firearm for which the applicant 17 was denied registration. 18 (i) Renewal.--Each registrant must renew registration 19 annually. Applications for renewal shall be made by a registrant 20 60 days prior to the expiration of the current registration 21 certificate. 22 Section 5. Additional duties of registrant. 23 Each person holding a registration certificate shall: 24 (1) Notify the Pennsylvania State Police of: 25 (i) The loss, theft or destruction of the 26 registration certificate or of a registered firearm 27 within 48 hours of the discovery of the loss, theft or 28 destruction. 29 (ii) A change in any of the information appearing on 30 the registration certificate within 48 hours. 20070H0760B0881 - 6 -
1 (iii) The sale, transfer or other disposition of the 2 firearm not less than 48 hours prior to delivery. 3 (2) Return to the Pennsylvania State Police the 4 registrant's copy of the registration certificate for any 5 firearm which is lost, stolen, destroyed or otherwise 6 disposed of within 48 hours. 7 (3) Keep any firearm in the registrant's possession 8 unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock, gun 9 safe or similar device unless the firearm is in the 10 registrant's immediate possession and control while at the 11 registrant's place of residence or business or while being 12 used for lawful recreational purposes within this 13 Commonwealth. This paragraph shall not apply to law 14 enforcement personnel or security personnel while in the 15 course of their employment. 16 Section 6. Application fee. 17 A nonrefundable fee of $10 per firearm shall accompany each 18 application for registration of a firearm and renewal of 19 registration of a firearm. 20 Section 7. Penalty. 21 A person who violates this act commits a summary offense. 22 Section 8. Regulations. 23 The Pennsylvania State Police shall promulgate rules and 24 regulations for the implementation of this act. 25 Section 9. Acquisition or possession prohibited by law. 26 Nothing in this act shall make lawful the acquisition or 27 possession of firearms or firearm accessories which is otherwise 28 prohibited by law. 29 Section 10. Effective date. 30 This act shall take effect in 180 days. A23L44DMS/20070H0760B0881 - 7 -