Philly Leader

Gov. Tom Wolf and Pennsylvania State Police Commissioner Col. Robert Evanchick recently spoke about the Biden Administration’s new rule on unserialized ghost guns focused on background checks, saying that Pennsylvania is ready to implement the regulation statewide as well.

A release on April 29 stated that the new rule says that partially manufactured frames and receivers will receive a background check when sold. It also includes the stipulation for dealers and gunsmiths in Pennsylvania to mark and inventory with a serial number the unregistered guns that come into their businesses. Wolf and Attorney General Josh Shapiro created a strategy in 2019 that made 80% of receivers into classified firearms requiring serial numbers and a background check. These receivers are the external housings of guns used to make unserialized ghost guns.

“The numbers don’t lie: ghost guns are being seized and recovered from crime scenes at an alarming rate,” said Wolf. “If you want to own a gun, you need to go through checks and balances that are necessary to ensure public safety. Unserialized guns are an untraceable threat to our society, that’s why we’re ready to immediately mirror this new federal regulation at the state level as soon as possible.”

The Biden Administration made the decision on the regulation at the beginning of April, which will align with what is set up in the Quaker Stare. Federally it will take place 120 days from April 26. Ghost guns are a main area of concern across the country, and Pennsylvania State Police started tracking them from crime scenes last year. Philadelphia has tracked ghost guns since 2019 and recorded 95 seizures and recoveries in 2019, 250 in 2020 and 571 in 2021. This showed a huge jump in ghost guns across the city. In 2022 PSP and Philadelphia have collaborated to recover 147 ghost guns.

“Violent crime involving firearms is one of our top public safety concerns, and the existence of ghost guns can compound this issue,” said Colonel Evanchick. “Ghost guns can make it more difficult to solve violent crimes and hold those responsible accountable.”

Pennsylvania officials have been making efforts to curb gun violence. In 2019, Wolf signed an executive order that created a Special Council on Gun Violence. More than $50 million has been invested into gun violence prevention programs. In December 2021, Wolf vetoed Senate Bill 565, which he considered dangerous legislation as it would remove licensing and background check requirements for concealed weapons. It would have also overturned Philadelphia’s requirement for open carry permits. This year Wolf vetoed House Bill 979, which discourages local communities from regulating firearms.

“Let’s be frank, whether in a school, on a street corner, or at a local mall, gun violence is the number one threat our communities are facing all across this state,” said York City Police Commissioner Muldrow. “The one thing I hope we can all agree on, no matter what side of the line you fall on, is doing the things we have to do to keep our kids and communities alive.”