PRINTER'S NO. 1837
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1563
Session of
2023
INTRODUCED BY A. BROWN, BULLOCK, BELLMON, SCHLOSSBERG, KAZEEM,
BOROWSKI, SANCHEZ, YOUNG, GUZMAN, GIRAL, KENYATTA,
SHUSTERMAN, KINSEY, GUENST, DONAHUE, SCHWEYER, WAXMAN AND
GREEN, JULY 11, 2023
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, JULY 11, 2023
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous
articles, providing for duties of lawful gun show or meet
organizers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 6129. Duties of lawful gun show or meet organizers.
(a) Identification verification.--Except as provided under
subsection (b), the following apply:
(1) Before allowing an attendee of a lawful gun show or
meet to enter the premises of the lawful gun show or meet, an
organizer or the organizer's representative shall utilize a
transaction scan device to verify the identity of the
attendee by scanning the attendee's identification.
(2) An organizer or the organizer's representative shall
maintain a record of all attendees permitted entry to the
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premises of a lawful gun show or meet.
(3) If an attendee fails to present identification or
presents identification to an organizer or the organizer's
representative that cannot be verified by a transaction scan
device, the attendee shall not be permitted entrance to the
premises of the lawful gun show or meet.
(b) Exceptions.--An organizer or the organizer's
representative shall not be required to verify the identity of
an attendee of a lawful gun show or meet who is younger than 16
years of age.
(c) Maintenance of records.--
(1) An organizer or the organizer's representative shall
maintain the record of all attendees under subsection (a)(2)
for a period of no less than five years.
(2) Upon the request of the Office of Attorney General,
an organizer or the organizer's representative shall make the
record of an attendee under subsection (a)(2) available to a
prosecutor or law enforcement agency.
(d) Penalties.--
(1) An organizer or the organizer's representative
commits a summary offense if the organizer or the organizer's
representative permits an attendee of a lawful gun show or
meet to enter the premises of the lawful gun show or meet
after the attendee fails to present identification or
presents identification to the organizer or the organizer's
representative that cannot be verified by a transaction scan
device.
(2) An organizer or the organizer's representative
commits a summary offense who fails to maintain the record of
all attendees under subsection (a)(2) as required under
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subsection (c)(1).
(3) An organizer or the organizer's representative
commits a summary offense who fails or refuses to make the
record of an attendee under subsection (a)(2) available to a
prosecutor or law enforcement agency as required under
subsection (c)(2).
(e) Definitions.--A s used in this section, the following
words and phrases shall have the meanings given to them in this
subsection:
"Firearm." As defined in section 6111.2 (relating to firearm
sales surcharge).
"Identification." Any of the following:
(1) A valid photo driver's license.
(2) A valid government-issued photo identification card
that contains the holder's name, date of birth and signature.
(3) A valid government-issued photo identification card
that does not contain the holder's name, date of birth and
signature, but is accompanied by a document with the holder's
address, including, but not limited to, a utility bill,
residential lease agreement or mortgage.
(4) A valid driver's license or a valid government-
issued identification without a photo if the holder is a
member of a religious sect or community whose tenets forbid
or discourage the taking of photographs.
"L aw enforcement agency." As defined in 44 Pa.C.S. ยง 7302
(relating to definitions).
"Lawful gun show or meet." A function sponsored by a
national, State or local organization devoted to the collection,
competitive use or other sporting use of firearms in the
community or an organization or association that sponsors
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functions devoted to the collection, competitive use or other
sporting use of firearms in the community.
"Organizer." The organizer or promoter of a lawful gun show
or meet held within this Commonwealth.
"Prosecutor." As defined in section 4953.1 (relating to
retaliation against prosecutor or judicial official).
"Transaction scan device." A device capable of deciphering,
in an electronically readable format, the information encoded on
the magnetic strip, chip or bar code of an identification card.
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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