SENATE AMENDED
        PRIOR PRINTER'S NOS. 652, 1704, 1882,         PRINTER'S NO. 2866
        1891

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 617 Session of 1981


        INTRODUCED BY PITTS, LAUGHLIN, KOLTER, GRAY, NOYE, HASAY, HAYES,
           GEORGE, DeVERTER, MERRY, PHILLIPS, GAMBLE, PUNT AND
           CUNNINGHAM, FEBRUARY 18, 1981

        SENATOR KUSSE, LABOR AND INDUSTRY, IN SENATE, RE-REPORTED AS
           AMENDED, FEBRUARY 8, 1982

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending the act of July 1, 1937 (P.L.2681, No.537), entitled
     2     "An act relating to, and regulating the manufacture, storing,
     3     and possession of explosives; requiring permits for
     4     magazines, and prescribing permit fees; and providing
     5     penalties," exempting the storage of certain explosives from
     6     regulation by the department and requiring certain quantities
     7     of explosives in commercial establishments to be stored in
     8     specified magazines and imposing a penalty.

     9     The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
    10  hereby enacts as follows:
    11     Section 1.  The act of July 1, 1937 (P.L.2681, No.537),
    12  entitled "An act relating to, and regulating the manufacture,
    13  storing, and possession of explosives; requiring permits for
    14  magazines, and prescribing permit fees; and providing
    15  penalties," is amended by adding sections to read:
    16     Section 10.1.  (a)  Possession and storage of commercially     <--
    17  manufactured black powder in quantities not to exceed fifty
    18  pounds, percussion caps, safety and pyrotechnic fuses, quills,
    19  quick and slow matches, and friction primers, intended to be

     1  used solely for sporting, recreational, cultured purposes in
     2  antique firearms or antique devices as defined in section
     3  921(a)(16) of Title 18 of the United States Code shall be exempt
     4  from regulation by the Department of Environmental Resources.
     5     (b)  Smokeless powder, primers used for reloading rifle or
     6  pistol cartridges, shot shells, percussion caps and smokeless
     7  propellants intended for personal use shall be exempt from
     8  regulation by the Department of Environmental Resources.
     9     (c)  The quantity and distance for unbarricaded magazines for
    10  the storage of black powder in quantities not to exceed one
    11  thousand pounds shall be in accordance with Federal regulations.
    12     (d)  The Department of Environmental Resources may adopt
    13  regulations with respect to the quantity and distance for
    14  unbarricaded magazines for the storage of black powder in
    15  quantities of one thousand pounds or more.
    16     Section 10.2.  (a)  Not more than fifty pounds of black
    17  powder shall be stored in a commercial establishment licensed to
    18  store explosives by the Federal Department of Treasury's Bureau
    19  of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. It shall be stored in a Class
    20  C magazine which shall be mounted on wheels for easy removal in
    21  case of fire. The magazine shall be located in close proximity
    22  to an outside door.
    23     (b)  Any person violating the provisions of this section
    24  shall be guilty of a summary offense.
    25     SECTION 10.1.  (A)  POSSESSION AND STORAGE OF COMMERCIALLY     <--
    26  MANUFACTURED BLACK POWDER (IN QUANTITIES NOT TO EXCEED TEN
    27  POUNDS), PERCUSSION CAPS, SAFETY AND PYROTECHNIC FUSES, MATCHES
    28  AND FRICTION PRIMERS, INTENDED TO BE USED SOLELY FOR SPORTING,
    29  RECREATIONAL, CULTURAL PURPOSES IN ANTIQUE FIREARMS OR ANTIQUE
    30  DEVICES AS DEFINED IN § 921(A)(16) OF TITLE 18 OF THE UNITED
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     1  STATES CODE SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM REGULATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
     2  ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES.
     3     (B)  POSSESSION AND STORAGE OF SMOKELESS POWDER, PRIMERS USED
     4  FOR RELOADING RIFLE OR PISTOL CARTRIDGES, SHOT SHELLS,
     5  PERCUSSION CAPS AND SMOKELESS PROPELLANTS INTENDED FOR PERSONAL
     6  USE SHALL BE EXEMPT FROM REGULATION BY THE DEPARTMENT OF
     7  ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES.
     8     (C)  THE STORAGE OF BLACK POWDER IN QUANTITIES NOT TO EXCEED
     9  ONE THOUSAND POUNDS SHALL BE IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE STORAGE
    10  REQUIREMENTS FOR LOW EXPLOSIVES IN 27 C.F.R. §181.181 ET SEQ.
    11  (SUBPART J).
    12     (D)  THE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESOURCES MAY ADOPT
    13  REGULATIONS FOR THE STORAGE OF BLACK POWDER IN QUANTITIES IN
    14  EXCESS OF ONE THOUSAND POUNDS.
    15     SECTION 10.2.  (A)  NO PERSON SHALL STORE MORE THAN FIFTY
    16  POUNDS OF BLACK POWDER IN A COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT. IT SHALL
    17  BE UNLAWFUL TO STORE BLACK POWDER IN A COMMERCIAL ESTABLISHMENT
    18  UNLESS A LICENSE TO STORE EXPLOSIVES IS OBTAINED FROM THE UNITED
    19  STATES DEPARTMENT OF TREASURY, BUREAU OF ALCOHOL, TOBACCO AND
    20  FIREARMS. BLACK POWDER SHALL BE STORED IN ACCORDANCE WITH 27
    21  C.F.R. §181.90 IN A TYPE 4 STORAGE FACILITY WHICH SHALL BE
    22  MOUNTED ON WHEELS FOR EASY REMOVAL IN CASE OF FIRE.
    23     (B)  ANY PERSON VIOLATING THE PROVISIONS OF THIS SECTION
    24  SHALL BE GUILTY OF A MISDEMEANOR AND UPON CONVICTION THEREOF
    25  SHALL BE SENTENCED TO PAY A FINE OF NOT LESS THAN FIVE HUNDRED
    26  DOLLARS ($500).
    27     Section 2.  This act shall take effect in 60 days.


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