PRINTER'S NO.  3945

  

THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA

  

HOUSE BILL

 

No.

2569

Session of

2012

  

  

INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, THOMAS, YOUNGBLOOD, PARKER, JAMES, M. O'BRIEN AND JOSEPHS, AUGUST 20, 2012

  

  

REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, AUGUST 20, 2012  

  

  

  

AN ACT

  

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Relating to firearm registration; providing for duties of the

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Pennsylvania State Police; and imposing penalties.

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The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania

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hereby enacts as follows:

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Section 1.  Short title.

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This act shall be known and may be cited as the Firearm

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Registration Act.

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Section 2.  Definitions.

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The following words and phrases when used in this act shall

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have the meanings given to them in this section unless the

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context clearly indicates otherwise:

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"Antique firearm."  Includes:

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(1)  Any firearm, including any firearm with a matchlock,

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flintlock, percussion cap or similar type of ignition system,

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manufactured in or before 1898.

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(2)  Any replica of any firearm described in paragraph

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(1) if the replica:

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(i)  is not designed or redesigned for using rimfire

 


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or conventional centerfire fixed ammunition; or

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(ii)  uses rimfire or conventional centerfire

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ammunition that is no longer manufactured in the United

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States and that is not readily available in the ordinary

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channels of commercial trade.

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(3)  Any firearm, other than a machine gun, which,

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although designed as a weapon, the Pennsylvania State Police

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finds by reason of the date of its manufacture, value, design

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and other characteristics is primarily a collector's item and

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is not likely to be used as a weapon.

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"Firearm."  A weapon which will or is designed or restored to

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expel a projectile or projectiles by the action of any

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explosive, the frame or receiver of any such device or any

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firearm muffler or silencer. The term shall not include:

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(1)  Antique firearms.

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(2)  Any device used exclusively for line-throwing,

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signaling or safety and required or recommended by the United

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States Coast Guard or Interstate Commerce Commission.

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(3)  Any device used exclusively for firing explosives,

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rivets, stud cartridges or any similar industrial ammunition

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incapable of use as a weapon.

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Section 3.  Registration.

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(a)  General rule.--All firearms in this Commonwealth shall

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be registered in accordance with this section. It shall be the

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duty of a person owning or possessing any firearm to cause the

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firearm to be registered. No person within this Commonwealth may

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possess, harbor, have under the person's control, transfer,

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offer for sale, sell, give, deliver or accept any firearm unless

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the person is the holder of a valid registration certificate for

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the firearm. No person within this Commonwealth may possess,

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harbor, have under the person's control, transfer, offer for

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sale, sell, deliver or accept any firearm which is

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unregisterable under this act.

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(b)  Nonapplicability.--This section shall not apply to:

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(1)  Firearms owned or under the direct control or

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custody of any Federal, State or local governmental authority

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maintained in the course of its official duties.

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(2)  Duty-related firearms owned and possessed by law

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enforcement officers who are not residents of this

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Commonwealth.

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(3)  Duty-related firearms owned and possessed by

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corrections officers who are not residents of this

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Commonwealth.

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(4)  Firearms owned, manufactured or processed by

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licensed manufacturers of firearms, bulk transporters or

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licensed sellers of firearms at wholesale or retail, provided

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that such persons have all licenses required by law.

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(5)  Any nonresident of this Commonwealth participating

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in any lawful recreational firearm-related activity in this

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Commonwealth, or on the way to or from the firearm-related

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activity in another jurisdiction, provided that the

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possession or control of the firearm is lawful in the

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jurisdiction in which the individual resides and that the

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weapon is either:

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(i)  Broken down in a nonfunctioning state.

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(ii)  Unloaded and enclosed in a case, firearm-

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carrying box, shipping box or other container.

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(6)  Private security personnel who possess or control

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any firearm or ammunition within this Commonwealth. Firearms

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under this paragraph shall be owned and maintained by the

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security firm employing the security personnel and shall be

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registered by the security firm in accordance with this

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section.

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Section 4.  Insurance.

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(a)  General rule.--No registration certificate shall be

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issued to any person unless the person:

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(1)  Has not been convicted of a crime of violence.

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(2)  Has not been convicted within the five years prior

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to the application of any violation of any law relating to

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the use, possession or sale of any narcotic or dangerous

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drug.

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(3)  Is not otherwise ineligible to possess a firearm

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under any Federal or State law.

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(b)  Application.--Every person who is required to register a

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firearm under this act shall obtain an application for

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registration of the firearm from the Pennsylvania State Police.

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The application shall be in writing and sworn under oath and

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shall require the following information:

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(1)  The name, home and business address, telephone

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number, date of birth and Social Security number of the

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applicant.

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(2)  The age, sex and citizenship of the applicant.

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(3)  The name of the manufacturer, the caliber or gauge,

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the model, type and serial number of each firearm to be

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registered.

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(4)  Two photographs taken within 30 days immediately

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prior to the date of filing the application equivalent to

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passport size showing the full face, head and shoulders of

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the applicant in a clear and distinguishing manner.

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(5)  Additional information as the Pennsylvania State

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Police may deem necessary to process the application.

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(c)  Fingerprinting.--The applicant or registrant shall

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submit to fingerprinting by the Pennsylvania State Police in

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accordance with procedures and regulations prescribed by the

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Pennsylvania State Police.

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(d)  Records.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall cause to

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be kept an accurate record of each application received and

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acted upon together with all other information and data

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pertaining to the application on all applications for owner's

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registration certificates issued or denied under this act.

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Applications for owner's registration certificates shall be

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numbered in consecutive numbers as filed, and each certificate

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issued shall be identified with the duplicate number of the

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application upon which it was issued and shall expire

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automatically one year from the date of issuance.

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(e)  Background check.--The Pennsylvania State Police shall

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conduct a criminal background check on the applicant to ensure

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compliance with this section. No application may be approved

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until and unless a criminal background check is completed.

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(f)  Procedure.--Within 30 days of receipt of an application,

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the Pennsylvania State Police, after consideration of the

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application for an owner's registration certificate and all

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information obtained relative to the application, shall either

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approve or deny the application and notify the applicant in

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writing of the determination.

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(g)  Approval.--In the event the application is approved, the

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Pennsylvania State Police shall issue to the applicant an

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owner's registration certificate which shall contain the

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applicant's name, residence, date of birth, photograph and other

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personal information as may be required by the Pennsylvania

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State Police. The owner's registration certificate shall not be

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transferable and shall be carried simultaneously with the

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firearm and shall be exhibited to any police officer upon demand

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for inspection. Registration shall not make lawful the carrying

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or possessing of a firearm if prohibited by law.

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(h)  Denial.--In the event the application is denied, the

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Pennsylvania State Police shall inform the applicant in writing

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of the denial. Any applicant who believes that the applicant's

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application is wrongfully denied may, within ten days after

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receiving notice of the denial, file a written appeal of the

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denial in accordance with 2 Pa.C.S. (relating to administrative

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law and procedure). Within three days after notification of a

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decision unfavorable to the applicant and all time for appeal

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having expired, the applicant shall surrender to the

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Pennsylvania State Police the firearm for which the applicant

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was denied registration.

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(i)  Renewal.--Each registrant must renew registration

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annually. Applications for renewal shall be made by a registrant

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60 days prior to the expiration of the current registration

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certificate.

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Section 5.  Additional duties of registrant.

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Each person holding a registration certificate shall:

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(1)  Notify the Pennsylvania State Police of:

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(i)  The loss, theft or destruction of the

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registration certificate or of a registered firearm

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within 48 hours of the discovery of the loss, theft or

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destruction.

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(ii)  A change in any of the information appearing on

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the registration certificate within 48 hours.

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(iii)  The sale, transfer or other disposition of the

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firearm not less than 48 hours prior to delivery.

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(2)  Return to the Pennsylvania State Police the

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registrant's copy of the registration certificate for any

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firearm which is lost, stolen, destroyed or otherwise

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disposed of within 48 hours.

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(3)  Keep any firearm in the registrant's possession

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unloaded and disassembled or bound by a trigger lock, gun

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safe or similar device unless the firearm is in the

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registrant's immediate possession and control while at the

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registrant's place of residence or business or while being

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used for lawful recreational purposes within this

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Commonwealth. This paragraph shall not apply to law

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enforcement personnel or security personnel while in the

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course of their employment.

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Section 6.  Application fee.

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A nonrefundable fee of $10 per firearm shall accompany each

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application for registration of a firearm and renewal of

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registration of a firearm.

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Section 7.  Penalty.

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A person who violates this act commits a summary offense.

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Section 8.  Regulations.

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The Pennsylvania State Police shall promulgate rules and

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regulations for the implementation of this act.

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Section 9.  Acquisition or possession prohibited by law.

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Nothing in this act shall make lawful the acquisition or

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possession of firearms or firearm accessories which is otherwise

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prohibited by law.

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Section 10.  Effective date.

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This act shall take effect in 180 days.

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