Area State Lawmaker Introducing Bill To Ban Some Firearms & Magazines

State Sen. Steve Santarsiero will be introducing legislation in Harrisburg to ban certain types of high-powered firearms and large-capacity ammunition magazines.

Santarsiero, a Democrat from Lower Makefield Township, announced the bill at a press conference at the Lower Makefield Township complex Thursday afternoon. He was joined by fellow Democratic politicians and anti-gun violence advocates.

The state senator’s office said the bill will create a new criminal offense for possessing, making, importing, selling, or transferring an “assault weapon or large capacity magazine” with a capacity of more than 10 rounds.

The bill would allow people who already own firearms that would be banned, which would cover more than 150 gun models, to keep them with a certificate of possession. The law would prohibit the sale or transfer of the firearm, which would have to be rendered inoperable or sold through a gun buyback program.

Santarsiero, whose district goes from Upper Bucks County to the Levittown area, would require safe storage of “assault weapons” and require the Pennsylvania State Police to establish a gun buyback program.

“Military-style weapons have no place in civilian society,” Santarsiero said. “Easy access to assault weapons is one of the greatest threats to the health and safety of Pennsylvanians.”

Amid recent high-profile mass shootings and Santarsiero’s failed push to pass a “common sense idea” to close a loophole that allows the purchase of long guns during private sales ineligible for background checks, he has grown more determine to introduce legislation he believes will cut down on gun crime.

“With each passing day that we fail to enact reasonable gun reforms, we are choosing to protect the gun lobby and firearm manufacturers over the lives of all Pennsylvanians,” Santarsiero said. “Since the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in 2012, Pennsylvania has taken no meaningful action to keep our children safe with reasonable gun safety measures. That must change.”

Santarsiero said he has previously talked with representatives from the National Rifle Association (NFA) about legislative ideas, but it was clear to him they didn’t support what he did.

“I’m here to tell you today – we’ve had enough,” he said. “It’s time we stand up with a single voice.”

State Sen. Sharif Street, a Democrat from Philadelphia, has lost family to gun violence, including his nephew in a 2021 Philadelphia mass shooting. His office was also shot up when a man was caught in the crossfire outside.

“Thoughts and prayers ring hollow to the families of every victim without action behind them. This is a uniquely American problem, and if we are a civilized nation then the right to bear arms cannot supersede the right to live free from violence. I’m proud to join Sen. Santarsiero who continues to lead on common sense reform for responsible firearms ownership,” Street said.

Nicole Peirce, a 29-year educator in the Pennsbury School District and head of the teachers’ union, said she has seen students worry about the threat of gun violence in schools.

“Current seniors were in second grade when Sandy Hook happen,” she said, noting they have grown up with the threat of gun violence.

State Sen. John Kane, a Democrat from Delaware County, said he supports “sensible gun laws” and is willing to work with his Republican counterparts.

“This is about common sense gun laws,” he said. “This is the time to act now for the sake of our kids.”

Kane said he is a father of a teacher and his wife is also a teacher, so he understands the worry of school shootings.

Delaware County District Attorney Jack Stollsteimer, a Democrat, said lax gun laws make it harder for law enforcement to do their job and get bad guys with guns.

In a statement, NAACP Bucks County President Karen Downer came out in support of the bill.

The executive directors of nonprofits A Woman’s Place and the Network of Victim Assistance (NOVA) support the bill.

“We see the intersectionality of gun violence and domestic abuse every day, most recently playing out in several tragedies in our own county,” said A Woman’s Place Executive Director Marianne Lynch.

Adam Garber, executive director of CeaseFire PA, said the group supports the proposed law.

“Weapons of war have no place where we shop, eat, learn and pray,” said Garber. “That simple fact has been painfully obvious in the last few weeks in Buffalo and Uvalde. Now, it’s time for our elected officials to take action to stop our communities from being war zones by banning assault weapons.”

While Santarsiero is enthusiastic about his proposal, it likely not to move forward in the Republican-controlled legislature.

Santarsiero has also supported bills for universal background checks and safe self-storage of firearms.

Report a correction via email | Editorial standards and policies

---

---