The Pennsylvania State Senate Local Government Committee held a crucial hearing on Senate Bill 822, legislation by Republican Senator Wayne Langerholc to strengthen Pennsylvania’s long-standing firearms preemption law and finally hold rogue municipalities accountable for violating it.
For nearly fifty years, Pennsylvania law has made clear that the Commonwealth occupies the entire field of firearm regulation. Local governments are prohibited from creating their own patchwork of gun ordinances. No local bans on possession, transfer, ammunition, or anything else.
Yet, despite this well-settled rule of law, some municipalities have openly ignored it with little consequence.
Pennsylvania Gun Rights Testifies: “Preemption Must Have Teeth”
Representing tens of thousands of pro-gun members across the Commonwealth, Pennsylvania Gun Rights Executive Director Craig Storrs, Jr., testified in support of SB 822.
He reminded the committee that Pennsylvania’s preemption statute is meaningless without enforcement:
“For nearly 50 years, Pennsylvania has had field preemption. That means the General Assembly occupies the entire field of gun regulation. Municipalities cannot make their own gun law. Not on possession, not on transfer, not on accessories, nothing…the current preemption law has no teeth. Local governments know that.”
Storrs also called for proper enforcement of existing laws, noting that criminal misuse of firearms is already covered under the Pennsylvania Crimes Code:
“We need to enforce the laws already on the books. If someone is discharging a firearm in a manner unrelated to self-defense (or anything other lawful purpose), there’s probably a criminal code section that addresses it.”
Sen. Langerholc: “This Should Not Even Be Necessary”
Senator Langerholc delivered a pointed rebuke to local officials who defy state law:
“This is an issue that should not be necessary if we had areas that upheld and listened to the well-settled rule of law…it is not in dispute. It is a fact that our Constitution provides that the right of the citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the state shall not be questioned. That is clear. That has been established for some time. It is further well-settled law and not in dispute.”
As a result, SB 822 would put real consequences behind that principle, giving citizens standing to sue municipalities that violate preemption and recover damages and attorney fees.
Why It Matters
Without enforceable preemption, Pennsylvania’s gun owners are at the mercy of over 2,500 local governments writing their own rules, a direct violation of both state law and Article 1, Sections 21 and 25 of the Pennsylvania Constitution.
Passage of SB 822 would reaffirm that the right to keep and bear arms cannot depend on your zip code, and that elected officials who knowingly violate the law will finally be held accountable.
What Comes Next
The Local Government Committee’s hearing marks the first major step toward advancing SB 822. Pennsylvania Gun Rights will continue to mobilize gun owners statewide to demand passage of this bill and restore uniformity under the law.
Stay tuned for committee votes and floor action in the coming weeks.
You can find a link to the entire hearing here: Pennsylvania State Senate Local Government Committee
