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HB 732

An Act amending Title 23 (Domestic Relations) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in protection from abuse, further providing for relief and providing for shared telephone plans.

2025-2026 Regular Session Introduced by Lisa Borowski and 19 co-sponsors

Expands gun rules to curb access and violence: permits and 72-hour waits for purchases, age limits, bans on ghost guns and certain devices, ERPOs, safe storage, and local control.

Referred to Judiciary
0
WeVote Research Nonpartisan
Bill Summary · HB 732

HB 732 — "Common Sense Gun Regulations"

Status: Introduced Nov 12, 2024; Passed 1st Reading (as of Apr 3, 2025)
Short title in bill text: "The Comprehensive Common‑Sense Approach to Reducing Gun Violence Act."

Purpose / Intent

The bill is a broad package of firearm regulatory reforms intended to reduce gun violence by: (1) tightening purchase and possession rules for certain firearms; (2) increasing safe‑storage, registration/notification, and enforcement tools; (3) creating civil‑law tools (extreme risk orders) to temporarily restrict access to firearms for persons deemed a danger; and (4) enabling more local regulation and state administrative controls over which handguns may be sold.

Key provisions (high‑level)

  • Permit & waiting period
    • Requires a county sheriff permit (or valid state concealed handgun permit) before purchasing an assault weapon, pistol, or long gun.
    • Imposes a 72‑hour waiting period between purchase/agreement and delivery/possession.
  • Definitions / assault weapon list
    • Re‑establishes and expands a statutory definition of “assault weapon,” including a long enumerated list of models and features (semiautomatic centerfire rifles/pistols with certain capabilities).
  • Age limits and possession
    • Prohibits sale and (in key sections) possession of certain semiautomatic firearms by persons under age 21.
  • Bans and restrictions
    • Prohibits sale/possession of bump stocks and trigger cranks.
    • Prohibits ghost guns (privately made, unserialized firearms).
    • Limits capacity of ammunition magazines (specific capacity cap not stated in the excerpt).
  • Safe storage & vehicles
    • Requires safe storage of firearms; prohibits leaving a firearm in an unattended vehicle unless safely stored.
  • Reporting and records
    • Requires reporting of lost or stolen firearms.
    • Requires sheriffs, upon denial/revocation/refusal to renew a concealed/pistol permit, to transmit prohibition records to the federal NICS system.
  • Handgun roster
    • Directs the Department of Public Safety to develop a roster of handguns that meet specified design and safety standards; sale/transfer/possession of handguns not on the roster would be prohibited.
  • Civil and enforcement tools
    • Authorizes extreme risk protection orders (ERPOs) to temporarily restrict firearm access for persons posing danger to self/others.
    • Requires courts to order surrender/seizure of firearms, ammunition, and permits where defendants fail to surrender after emergency/ex parte domestic violence protective orders.
    • Allows destruction of seized firearms in certain circumstances.
  • Insurance & investments
    • Requires firearm owners to carry firearm liability insurance (amounts/terms not specified in excerpt).
    • Directs the state treasurer to divest public pension funds of holdings in gun manufacturers/stocks.
  • Preemption and local authority
    • Repeals state preemption of local firearms regulation — allowing local governments to adopt local rules (subject to legal constraints).
  • Use‑of‑force law
    • Repeals statutory “stand your ground” provisions and codifies traditional common‑law standards for use of force against an intruder.

Who is affected

  • Individuals: prospective gun purchasers (especially those under 21), current firearm owners (insurance and storage rules), and persons subject to ERPOs or domestic protective orders.
  • Dealers and manufacturers: new permit and roster requirements, magazine limits, bans on certain devices, and possible sales prohibitions for firearms not on the state roster.
  • Law enforcement and courts: increased permitting, ERPO and surrender processes, reporting duties to NICS, and seizure/destruction authority.
  • State agencies: Department of Public Safety (handgun roster), county sheriffs (permits and NICS reporting), and the State Treasurer (divestment direction).
  • Local governments: newly enabled to enact local firearm regulations.

Potential impacts and considerations

  • Administrative and implementation costs: permitting system, DPS roster development, increased enforcement workload for sheriffs and courts.
  • Public safety intent: aims to reduce access to high‑risk weapons and people in crisis (ERPOs), and to encourage safe storage and accountability (insurance, reporting).
  • Legal risks and litigation: bans, roster restrictions, magazine caps, repeal of preemption, and insurance mandates raise preemption, constitutional (Second Amendment), and interstate commerce legal questions that may prompt challenges.
  • Market effects: dealers/manufacturers may face compliance costs; insured‑owner market and insurers may see new demand/product development.

Procedural / timeline notes

  • Introduced Nov 12, 2024. Passed first reading (recorded Apr 3, 2025 in available tracking). Further committee referrals, hearings, and amendment activity are shown in bill history; final enactment status should be checked in the legislature’s current docket for the latest action.

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

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