See other bills
under the
same topic
                                                      PRINTER'S NO. 3306

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA


HOUSE BILL

No. 2288 Session of 2008


        INTRODUCED BY BENNINGHOFF, BARRAR, CREIGHTON, CUTLER, EVERETT,
           GRELL, JOSEPHS, R. MILLER, SCAVELLO, SIPTROTH, SONNEY, SURRA,
           SWANGER, THOMAS, J. WHITE, YOUNGBLOOD, DENLINGER AND
           SCHRODER, MARCH 5, 2008

        REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, MARCH 5, 2008

                                     AN ACT

     1  Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
     2     Consolidated Statutes, providing for a study by the Joint
     3     State Government Commission; and making appropriations.

     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  § 6111.6.  Study by Joint State Government Commission.
     9     (a)  Study.--The Joint State Government Commission shall
    10  conduct a continuing study for the purpose of evaluating:
    11         (1)  the extent, if any, to which legally purchased
    12     firearms, as defined in section 6102 (relating to
    13     definitions), are used by their purchaser in criminal
    14     activity; and
    15         (2)  the incidence of arrests for violations of this
    16     chapter as compared to convictions and adjudications of
    17     delinquency for violations of this chapter within the various


     1     counties of this Commonwealth.
     2     (b)  Cooperation of other agencies.--Beginning on the
     3  effective date of this section and ending three years from the
     4  effective date of this section, the Pennsylvania State Police
     5  shall provide to the Joint State Government Commission such
     6  information as is necessary to conduct the study. The commission
     7  may contract with such persons as appropriate for the purposes
     8  of carrying out the study.
     9     (c)  Provision of data.--
    10         (1)  Notwithstanding the provisions of sections 6111(i)
    11     (relating to sale or transfer of firearms), 6111.4 (relating
    12     to registration of firearms) and 9121(b)(1) (relating to
    13     general regulations), for the limited purposes and during the
    14     limited period of this study, the Pennsylvania State Police
    15     shall provide records concerning purchases of firearms and
    16     criminal history record information without fee to the Joint
    17     State Government Commission.
    18         (2)  Notwithstanding the provisions of 42 Pa.C.S. § 6308
    19     (relating to law enforcement records), the Pennsylvania State
    20     Police shall provide the incidence rate of adjudications of
    21     delinquency for violations of this chapter within the various
    22     counties of this Commonwealth without fee to the Joint State
    23     Government Commission.
    24     (d)  Report.--The Joint State Government Commission shall
    25  issue a final report on the study within three years and six
    26  months after the effective date of this section. The commission
    27  may issue interim reports as it deems appropriate.
    28     (e)  Use of information.--Neither the Joint State Government
    29  Commission nor any other person may publicly release identifying
    30  information obtained by the commission. The commission shall
    20080H2288B3306                  - 2 -     

     1  make information which it compiles available to the Office of
     2  Attorney General for law enforcement purposes. The Office of
     3  Attorney General or any other law enforcement agency which
     4  receives such information shall treat the information as
     5  intelligence information subject to the provisions of Chapter 91
     6  (relating to criminal history record information).
     7     Section 2.  The sum of $300,000 is hereby appropriated to the
     8  Joint State Government Commission for the purpose of conducting
     9  the study provided for under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111.6.
    10     Section 3.  The sum of $50,000 is hereby appropriated to the
    11  Pennsylvania State Police for the purpose of providing
    12  information pursuant to 18 Pa.C.S. § 6111.6(b) and (c).
    13     Section 4.  This act shall take effect in six months.












    A17L18DMS/20080H2288B3306        - 3 -