HB 1891 — An Act amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous articles, further providing for sale or transfer of firearms.

PRINTER'S NO.    2356

                      THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA



                          HOUSE BILL
                          No. 1891
                                                 Session of
                                                   2025

     INTRODUCED BY BELLMON, RIGBY, VENKAT, KINKEAD, POWELL, HILL-
        EVANS, WAXMAN, GIRAL, DOUGHERTY, WEBSTER AND SANCHEZ,
        SEPTEMBER 29, 2025

     REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2025


                                      AN ACT
 1   Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
 2      Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous
 3      articles, further providing for sale or transfer of firearms.
 4      The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
 5   hereby enacts as follows:
 6      Section 1.     Section 6111(b)(1), (1.1)(i) and (6) and (f)(2)
 7   of Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes are
 8   amended and the section is amended by adding a subsection to
 9   read:
10   § 6111.    Sale or transfer of firearms.
11      * * *
12      (b)    Duty of seller.--No licensed importer, licensed
13   manufacturer or licensed dealer shall sell or deliver any
14   firearm to another person, other than a licensed importer,
15   licensed manufacturer, licensed dealer or licensed collector,
16   until the conditions of subsection (a) have been satisfied and
17   until he has:
18             (1)   [For purposes of a firearm as defined in section
 1    6102 (relating to definitions), obtained a completed
 2    application/record of sale from the potential buyer or
 3    transferee to be filled out in triplicate, the original copy
 4    to be sent to the Pennsylvania State Police, postmarked via
 5    first class mail, within 14 days of the sale, one copy to be
 6    retained by the licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or
 7    licensed dealer for a period of 20 years and one copy to be
 8    provided to the purchaser or transferee. The form of this
 9    application/record of sale shall be no more than one page in
10    length and shall be promulgated by the Pennsylvania State
11    Police and provided by the licensed importer, licensed
12    manufacturer or licensed dealer. The application/record of
13    sale shall include the name, address, birthdate, gender,
14    race, physical description and Social Security number of the
15    purchaser or transferee, the date of the application and the
16    caliber, length of barrel, make, model and manufacturer's
17    number of the firearm to be purchased or transferred. The
18    application/record of sale shall also contain the following
19    question:
20        Are you the actual buyer of the firearm(s), as defined
21        under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6102 (relating to definitions), listed
22        on this application/record of sale? Warning: You are not
23        the actual buyer if you are acquiring the firearm(s) on
24        behalf of another person, unless you are legitimately
25        acquiring the firearm as a gift for any of the following
26        individuals who are legally eligible to own a firearm:
27             (1)   spouse;
28             (2)   parent;
29             (3)   child;
30             (4)   grandparent; or

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 1             (5)     grandchild.] For purposes of a firearm as
 2        defined in section 6102 (relating to definitions),
 3        obtained a completed application/record of sale from the
 4        potential buyer or transferee. The following shall apply:
 5             (i)    A licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or
 6        licensed dealer exempted under subsection (k) may
 7        complete an application/record of sale in paper format
 8        which shall be filled out in triplicate, with the
 9        original copy to be sent to the Pennsylvania State
10        Police, postmarked via first class mail, within 14 days
11        of the sale.
12             (ii)    A licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or
13        licensed dealer not exempted under subsection (k) shall
14        complete an electronic application/record of sale at the
15        time of transfer. A licensed importer, licensed
16        manufacturer or licensed dealer exempted under subsection
17        (k) who chooses not to complete an application/record of
18        sale in paper format must complete an electronic
19        application/record of sale at the time of transfer. A
20        completed electronic application/record of sale shall be
21        transmitted to the Pennsylvania State Police.
22             (iii)    A copy of the application/record of sale shall
23        be retained either in electronic or paper format by the
24        licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed
25        dealer for a period of 20 years and a copy shall be
26        provided to the purchaser or transferee in electronic or
27        paper format.
28             (iv)    The application/record of sale shall be no more
29        than one page in length and shall be promulgated by the
30        Pennsylvania State Police and provided by the licensed

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 1        importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed dealer. The
 2        application/record of sale shall include the name,
 3        address, birth date, gender, race, physical description
 4        and Social Security number of the purchaser or
 5        transferee, the date of the application and the caliber,
 6        length of barrel, make, model and manufacturer's number
 7        of the firearm to be purchased or transferred. The
 8        application/record of sale shall also contain the
 9        following question:
10                   Are you the actual buyer of the firearm(s), as
11                   defined under 18 Pa.C.S. § 6102 (relating to
12                   definitions), listed on this application/record
13                   of sale? Warning: You are not the actual buyer if
14                   you are acquiring the firearm(s) on behalf of
15                   another person, unless you are legitimately
16                   acquiring the firearm as a gift for any of the
17                   following individuals who are legally eligible to
18                   own a firearm:
19                           (1)   spouse;
20                           (2)   parent;
21                           (3)   child;
22                           (4)   grandparent; or
23                           (5)   grandchild.
24             (v)   In the event of an electronic failure under
25        section 6111.1(b)(2) (relating to Pennsylvania State
26        Police) that affects the electronic application/record of
27        sale and upon notice from the Pennsylvania State Police,
28        a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed
29        dealer shall proceed as if exempted under subsection (k)
30        and shall obtain a completed application/record of sale,

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 1        in paper format, from the potential buyer or transferee.
 2        A licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed
 3        dealer shall proceed with the application/record of sale
 4        as prescribed in subparagraphs (i) and (iii) until
 5        notified by the Pennsylvania State Police that the
 6        electronic failure no longer remains.
 7        (1.1)     On the date of publication in the Pennsylvania
 8    Bulletin of a notice by the Pennsylvania State Police that
 9    the instantaneous records check has been implemented, all of
10    the following shall apply:
11              (i)   In the event of an electronic failure under
12        section 6111.1(b)(2) [(relating to Pennsylvania State
13        Police)] for purposes of a firearm which exceeds the
14        barrel and related lengths set forth in section 6102,
15        [obtained] a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or
16        licensed dealer shall obtain a completed
17        application/record of sale in paper form from the
18        potential buyer or transferee to be filled out in
19        triplicate, the original copy to be sent to the
20        Pennsylvania State Police, postmarked via first class
21        mail, within 14 days of sale, one copy to be retained by
22        the licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed
23        dealer for a period of 20 years and one copy to be
24        provided to the purchaser or transferee.
25              * * *
26        (6)   Unless it has been discovered pursuant to a criminal
27    history, juvenile delinquency and mental health records
28    background check that the potential purchaser or transferee
29    is prohibited from possessing a firearm pursuant to section
30    6105, no information received [via telephone following the

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 1      implementation of] by the instantaneous background check
 2      system from a purchaser or transferee who has received a
 3      unique approval number shall be retained by the Pennsylvania
 4      State Police.
 5            * * *
 6      (f)   Application of section.--
 7            * * *
 8            (2)   The provisions contained in subsections (a) [and],
 9      (c) and (k) shall only apply to pistols or revolvers with a
10      barrel length of less than 15 inches, any shotgun with a
11      barrel length of less than 18 inches, any rifle with a barrel
12      length of less than 16 inches or any firearm with an overall
13      length of less than 26 inches.
14            * * *
15      (k)   Electronic reporting exemption.--A licensed importer,
16   licensed manufacturer or licensed dealer who conducts 20 or
17   fewer firearm sales and transfers per year shall not be required
18   to use an electronic application/record of sale. The following
19   shall apply:
20            (1)   Beginning in 2027, the Pennsylvania State Police
21      shall conduct an annual review of the transactions of each
22      licensed importer, licensed manufacturer and licensed dealer
23      over the past calendar year to determine whether the licensed
24      importer, licensed manufacturer or licensed dealer is
25      exempted from the use of an electronic application/record of
26      sale. The Pennsylvania State Police shall notify each
27      licensed importer, licensed manufacturer and licensed dealer
28      of an exemption to the use of an electronic
29      application/record of sale no later than April 1 of each
30      year.

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1          (2)   Nothing in this section shall be construed to
2      prohibit a licensed importer, licensed manufacturer or
3      licensed dealer from choosing to use an electronic
4      application/record of sale.
5      Section 2.   This act shall take effect April 1, 2026, or
6   immediately, whichever is later.




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