Pennsylvania SB 200: An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for assault weapons and large capacity magazines and establishing the Firearms and Ammunition Buyback Program and the Pennsylvania State Police Buyback Fund; imposing duties on the Pennsylvania State Police; and imposing penalties.

Bill Text

PRINTER'S NO. 888
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
SENATE BILL
No. 200
Session of
2025
INTRODUCED BY SANTARSIERO, KANE, COLLETT, SCHWANK, KEARNEY,
SAVAL, FONTANA, COMITTA, HUGHES, HAYWOOD, COSTA, TARTAGLIONE,
KIM AND MUTH, JUNE 3, 2025
REFERRED TO JUDICIARY, JUNE 3, 2025
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous
articles, providing for assault weapons and large capacity
magazines and establishing the Firearms and Ammunition
Buyback Program and the Pennsylvania State Police Buyback
Fund; imposing duties on the Pennsylvania State Police; and
imposing penalties.
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 sections to read:
§ 6105.3. Assault weapons and large capacity magazines.
(a) Prohibition .--Except as otherwise provided in subsection
(j), no person shall possess, manufacture, import, sell or
transfer an assault weapon or large capacity magazine.
(b) Certificate of possession.--
(1) An owner of an assault weapon shall obtain a
certificate of possession under this section or immediately
surrender the assault weapon in accordance with paragraph
(5).
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(2) Upon application by an individual 21 years of age or
older within 180 days of the effective date of this section,
a certificate of possession may be issued by the Pennsylvania
State Police to the owner of an assault weapon for possession
and use in accordance with this section.
(3) An individual issued a certificate of possession
under this section may possess, use, manufacture or otherwise
control an assault weapon as follows:
(i) At the domicile or business of the individual
owning the assault weapon.
(ii) At the domicile of another property owner with
the permission of that property owner.
(iii) At a bona fide target or shooting range
operated by a business or club to which the individual is
a customer, member or guest of a customer or member.
(iv) At a firearms exhibition, display or
educational project if the assault weapon is not loaded.
(v) In a motor vehicle if the individual is at or
traveling to or from a place listed in subparagraph (i),
(ii), (iii) or (iv) and if, while traveling to or from
the place, the assault weapon is not loaded and is kept
in a secure case or a compartment of the vehicle that is
not accessible to the occupants of the vehicle.
(4) A certificate of possession issued under this
section shall be valid throughout this Commonwealth and shall
be in a form prescribed by the Pennsylvania State Police. The
certificate shall include all of the following:
(i) The name, address, date of birth, race, sex,
citizenship, height, weight, color of hair, color of eyes
and signature of the certificate holder.
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(ii) A number, of which the first two numbers shall
be a county location code, corresponding to the
certificate holder's residence, followed by numbers
issued in numerical sequence.
(iii) A photograph of the certificate holder in a
form compatible with the Commonwealth Photo Imaging
Network.
(iv) The expiration date of the certificate of
possession.
(v) Any other information required by the
Pennsylvania State Police.
(5) An owner of an assault weapon who fails to apply for
a certificate of possession in accordance with paragraph (2)
or who was denied a certificate of possession under this
section shall, within five days, surrender the assault weapon
to a law enforcement agency. Failure of an individual to
submit an application for a certificate of possession under
paragraph (2) shall not constitute a defense in a prosecution
for a violation of this section. An individual who submitted
an application for a certificate of possession in accordance
with paragraph (2) and who has not been issued a certificate
of possession under this section may continue to possess an
assault weapon pending final approval or denial of the
application by the Pennsylvania State Police.
(c) Application for certificate of possession.--
(1) The Pennsylvania State Police shall develop and
provide a form within 60 days of the effective date of this
section that details the following information for each
assault weapon for which a certificate of possession is
requested and may be issued:
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(i) The information listed in subsection (b)(4)(i)
and the telephone number and thumbprint of the applicant.
(ii) A description of the assault weapon, including
the manufacturer's name, model number and serial number.
(iii) Identification marks or unique characteristics
of the assault weapon.
(iv) Proof of lawful purchase or ownership if
available.
(2) Upon receipt of the form, the Pennsylvania State
Police shall do all of th