House Judiciary Committee advances gun control bills

The bills now head to the full House of Representatives for consideration.

“With these measures, the Judiciary Committee has taken important steps toward protecting Pennsylvanians from needless tragedies,” Briggs said. “Gun violence continues to devastate families and communities across our Commonwealth." 

“These bills represent thoughtful, reasonable approaches to reducing illegal trafficking, saving lives, and supporting law enforcement—while fully respecting the rights of responsible gun owners under the Second Amendment. I thank my colleagues for their leadership and their commitment to tackling one of the biggest public safety challenges facing Pennsylvania.”

The bills approved by the committee include:

• House Bill 1099 (Prime sponsors: Reps. Morgan Cephas and Malcolm Kenyatta): Prohibits the manufacture, sale, or possession of undetectable firearms, including 3D-printed weapons and those without serial numbers. 
• House Bill 1593 (Prime sponsor: Rep. Perry Warren): Closes loopholes by requiring background checks for all firearm purchases, including long guns. 
• House Bill 1859 (Prime sponsor: Rep. Jennifer O’Mara): Creates Extreme Risk Protection Orders, also known as “Red Flag Laws,” allowing courts to temporarily restrict access to firearms for individuals in crisis.
• House Bill 1866 (Prime sponsors: Reps. Mandy Steele, Benjamin Sanchez, Johanny Cepeda-Freytiz): Bans devices that convert semi-automatic firearms into machine guns (e.g. Glock switches).

Briggs praised the prime sponsors for their leadership on these bills and highlighted the committee’s dedication to advancing solutions tailored to Pennsylvania’s needs.

“As legislators, we have a responsibility to act when lives are at stake,” Briggs said. “These bills strike the right balance: keeping communities safe while honoring the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens. This is not about taking away rights; it is about protecting lives. I urge the full House to act swiftly and send these bills to the Senate.”

Conservative opposition

Just last week, State Rep. Robert Leadbeter introduced legislation seeking to ban Red Flag laws like House Bill 1859. His bill, House Bill 1867, is awaiting a committee assignment.

According to Leadbeter, Red Flag laws ignore the historical belief in “innocent until proven guilty” and instead flip the script by assuming a person is guilty and assuming a crime may happen before it has been committed.

The last time the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee passed a Red Flag law — namely House Bill 1018 in May 2023 — it ended up stalling in the Republican-controlled Senate over a year later.