Pennsylvania Senate Bill SB798

Pennsylvania 2025-2026 Regular Session

• Introduced: 5/28/25
• Refer: 5/28/25

Caption

In inchoate crimes, providing for the offense of possession of firearm or other dangerous weapon in municipal building.

Summary

SB 798 would create a new offense in Pennsylvania law for possessing a firearm or other dangerous weapon in a municipal building, but only if the municipality’s governing body first adopts an ordinance prohibiting that possession. The bill also covers knowingly causing such a weapon to be present in the building. A higher level of culpability applies when the weapon is possessed with intent to use it in a crime. The measure defines key terms such as “municipal building,” “municipality,” “firearm,” and “dangerous weapon,” and it takes effect 60 days after enactment. The bill includes several exceptions for law enforcement and other officials performing lawful duties, municipal officials acting in their official capacity, certain Pennsylvania Game Commission instructional activities, ceremonial military or veterans’ activities with municipal approval, and attorneys bringing unloaded weapons in secure wrappers with written municipal authorization. It also requires municipalities that adopt such an ordinance to post notice at public entrances and to provide free lockers or similar check-in facilities for lawful firearm carriers and other covered weapons. A person who fails to check a firearm before entering after proper notice may face a summary offense rather than the default misdemeanor charge.

Impact

SB 798 would amend Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes by adding a new section in the inchoate crimes chapter, creating a municipal-level criminal offense tied to local ordinances rather than a statewide blanket ban. It would affect municipalities that choose to regulate weapons in their meeting places, and it imposes procedural duties on those municipalities, including signage and secure storage/check-in facilities. The bill would also interact with existing firearms licensing provisions in sections 6106 and 6109 by creating a lesser penalty for licensed carriers who fail to check a firearm before entering a covered building.

Sentiment

No committee transcript or vote record was provided, so there is no direct evidence of debate or recorded support/opposition in the materials supplied. Based on the bill text, the measure appears to reflect a public-safety approach that preserves local control while accommodating lawful carriers through notice and check-in requirements. The absence of recorded votes or discussion prevents a reliable assessment of legislative momentum or partisan sentiment.

Contention

The main point of contention is likely to be the balance between municipal authority to restrict weapons in government meeting spaces and firearm-rights concerns about additional gun restrictions. Supporters would likely emphasize local control, safety in municipal buildings, and the bill’s exceptions and storage provisions for lawful carriers. Opponents would likely focus on the creation of a new criminal offense, the potential burden on lawful gun owners, and whether municipalities should be allowed to impose these restrictions at all. The bill’s requirement that municipalities provide check-in facilities may also raise administrative and cost concerns.