PA Lawmakers Moving To Eliminate License For Concealed Carry

HARRISBURG, PA — Lawmakers in Pennsylvania are pushing forward legislation that would allow residents to carry concealed firearms without a license.

House Bill 659 passed through the Republican-controlled House Judiciary Committee this week, and heads to the floor of the House for consideration.

“House Bill 659 defends the rights of the citizens in our Commonwealth,” said State Rep. Aaron Bernstine, a Republican representing Butler, Beaver, and Lawrence counties. “Those Pennsylvanians who follow the law each day should not be punished or hindered if they choose to carry a firearm.”

The legislation comes as Democrats this month in both the House and Senate make a push in the opposite direction, hoping to create a 72-hour mandatory waiting period after a firearms purchase.

Bernstine says there is bipartisan support for the measure.

“By removing the licensing requirement, it removes an artificial barrier to residents’ right to bear arms and ensures more Pennsylvanians have access to personal protection in public," he added.

Under the new bill, an individual over 21 who has passed a criminal background check would be permitted to carry a concealed firearm without a permit.

Residents could still obtain an optional license under the new law, one which would permit them to carry their weapon concealed in other states. A total of 32 states have laws that recognize Pennsylvania's licensing system.

The proposal has drawn criticism from gun control groups like Cease Fire PA, which has launched an online petition opposing the measure, and which cites support from police and district attorneys in the state in maintaining permits.

"If enacted into law, Pennsylvanians will be even more vulnerable to the tragedy of gun violence," the organization said in a statement.

The bill passed through the Judiciary Committee by a vote of 14-11, strictly along party lines. Moderate Republican State Rep. Todd Stephens, of Montgomery County, was the lone "no" vote on the Republican side.

A permit to carry a concealed firearm is, as things currently stand, already simpler in Pennsylvania than it is in other states. Pennsylvania residents only need to submit an application and undergo a background check, whereas some other states require a measure of training and the receipt of a certificate.