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HB 568

An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for gun violence task forces.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lisa Borowski and 14 co-sponsors

HB 568 establishes Pennsylvania gun violence task forces to coordinate multi-agency law enforcement efforts addressing firearm-related crimes and injuries.

Referred to Judiciary
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 568

Legislative bill overview

HB 568 amends Pennsylvania's criminal code to establish gun violence task forces. The bill creates a framework for organized, multi-agency efforts to address firearm-related violence within the state. Specific operational details, funding mechanisms, and task force composition would be defined within the legislation's provisions.

Why is this important

Gun violence remains a significant public health and safety concern in Pennsylvania, particularly in urban areas. Creating dedicated task forces could improve coordination between law enforcement agencies, data collection on firearm crimes, and policy response strategies. However, the actual impact depends entirely on the resources allocated and how broadly or narrowly the task forces define their scope.

Potential points of contention

  • Scope and authority: Whether task forces have investigative powers, subpoena authority, and jurisdiction across county/municipal lines could face resistance from local law enforcement concerned about state overreach
  • Funding and resources: Disagreement over whether funding comes from new appropriations or reallocation of existing law enforcement budgets, and whether resources match the proposed scope
  • Definition of "gun violence": Potential disputes over whether task forces focus only on criminal shootings, or include suicides, accidents, and defensive gun uses—reflecting broader ideological differences on gun policy

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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