By Dave Workman
Editor-in-Chief
Legislation which could make Pennsylvania the 30th “Constitutional Carry” state is moving forward in the State Senate.
The ironically-titled Senate Bill 357 contains language to preserve the state carry permit, for the purpose of reciprocity with other states. According to the River Reporter, SB 357 also speeds up the permitting process from 45 to 14 days, apparently by removing “outdated disqualifiers” yet retaining prohibitions for people who cannot legally own or carry a firearm.
Senate Bill 357 was passed out of committee on a 9-5 vote last week. The bill is sponsored by Sen. Chris Dush (R-25), chairman of the Pennsylvania Senate Second Amendment Caucus, according to an announcement from the Senate GOP.
In that prepared statement, Dush observed, “Article 1, Section 21 of the Pennsylvania Constitution unquestionably states: ‘The right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned’. Unfortunately, as we have seen time and time again in the Democrat-controlled state House, even the most ‘well-intentioned’ or ‘commonsense’ gun laws can rapidly mutate, multiply and come to fruition as tyrannical, Orwellian firearm confiscation and control dictates. This is precisely why I have re-introduced Senate Bill 357 to serve as an unbeatable, nullifying legislative checkmate by fully allowing for the life-preserving, constitutionally recognized concealed carrying of legally owned firearms.”
At the same time, another Senate bill, SB 822—described by the River Reporter as “a comprehensive strengthening of Pennsylvania’s statewide firearm preemption laws”—reportedly strengthens state preemption. Senator Lisa Baker, chair of the Senate Judiciary Committee, was quoted stating, “(A) patchwork of local firearm ordinances, changing from one municipality to the next, would inevitably turn well‑intentioned, law‑abiding citizens into unwitting violators. Regardless of where one stands on the broader debate over firearm policy—whether believing our laws go too far or not far enough—everyone should be able to agree on this: Pennsylvanians deserve uniform, consistent laws across the commonwealth.”
As in more than 40 other states with preemption statutes, SB 822 would nullify any local ordinance which exceeds state law. Such laws have always been targeted by local anti-gun mayors and/or city councils wishing to establish what essentially amounts to a “city state” with its own laws and restrictions.
