HARRISBURG – The PA Senate Judiciary Committee advanced major pro–Second Amendment legislation while the full Senate acted separately to strengthen statewide firearm protections. Senate Bill 357 would allow law abiding adults legally permitted to own a firearm to carry concealed without the need for a government issued permit. The bill also preserves an optional License to Carry Firearms for reciprocity with other states and modernizes the permitting process by reducing investigation time from 45 to 14 days, updating terminology, and removing outdated disqualifiers while keeping all prohibitions for individuals who may not legally possess a firearm. The full Senate passed Senate Bill 822 – a comprehensive strengthening of PA’s statewide firearm preemption laws. It ensures firearm regulations remain uniform across all 67 PA counties by firmly establishing the General Assembly is the exclusive authority over firearm and ammunition laws. The bill clarifies any local firearm ordinance that exceeds state law is invalid and it establishes a clear legal pathway for citizens and membership organizations to challenge such unlawful restrictions. It also allows individuals harmed by these ordinances to seek damages and recover legal fees after providing proper notice. In addition, the bill directs the attorney general to notify municipal associations of the updated preemption standards. Senate Bill 357 now heads to the full Senate, while Senate Bill 822 moves to the state House.
