HARRISBURG, Pa. — A Pennsylvania House committee has advanced legislation that would require gun owners to securely store firearms when they are not in use, setting up a broader debate on the House floor over gun safety and self-defense rights.
The measure, sponsored by House Judiciary Committee Chairman Tim Briggs (D-Montgomery), would require firearms to be stored in a gun safe or secured with a locking device to prevent access by children or unauthorized individuals. The bill also requires firearms dealers to post notices explaining the law’s requirements and potential penalties for violations.
Before approving the legislation, lawmakers adopted an amendment exempting gun safes and firearm locking devices from Pennsylvania sales tax. A separate bill creating the same tax exemption passed unanimously.
Supporters argue the proposal is intended to reduce accidental shootings, particularly among children, while preserving the ability of lawful gun owners to access firearms for self-defense. Briggs said the bill’s language allows gun owners to keep firearms nearby and readily accessible while still preventing unauthorized access.
Republicans on the Judiciary Committee unanimously opposed the measure, arguing it could make firearms less accessible during emergencies and create uncertainty about how compliance would be enforced. Critics also contend the legislation places unnecessary government restrictions on law-abiding gun owners.
The debate highlighted broader disagreements over gun policy in Pennsylvania. Democrats pointed to accidental shootings involving unsecured firearms, while Republicans argued that criminal violence, rather than storage practices, is the primary cause of firearm-related deaths among young people.
The bill now moves to the full Pennsylvania House of Representatives for consideration.
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