Governor Tom Wolf today denounced a move by Pennsylvania’s Senate Republicans to pass dangerous legislation that would make Pennsylvanians less safe.

“This is a move to lower the bar for unvetted, permitless people to carry hidden weapons while they walk our streets and mingle in our communities and to dismantle the commonwealth’s system for responsible gun ownership. We need to stop this nonsense – we should question why we would want anyone who hasn’t undergone a background check to carry a concealed weapon. We should question politicians who turn a blind eye to the fact that states without concealed carry permits have an 11 percent higher rate of homicide than those with discretion.”

Just two weeks ago, Wolf and advocates joined at the Capitol to call for meaningful legislative action to address gun violence.

“I have repeatedly called on the General Assembly to act for the communities across Pennsylvania facing daily terrors of gun violence; this is not the commonsense legislation that the more than 1,600 victims of gun violence each year in Pennsylvania deserve.

Pennsylvanians deserve safety. Republicans are dealing them peril with this irresponsible bill.”

Gov. Wolf has asked for safe storage legislation to reduce the number of shootings by people who should not have access to guns, including accidental shootings by children; to tighten reporting requirements for lost or stolen guns; to swiftly pass the Extreme Risk Protection Order Act, also known as the red flag law; and to pursue state-level universal background checks on all gun purchases.

The Senate is considering Senate Bill 565 and Senate Bill 448. SB 448 would allow anyone to sue a city for enacting gun safety policies then force taxpayers to pick up the legal costs.

Gov. Wolf will veto both bills.

MEDIA CONTACT: Elizabeth Rementer, ra-gvgovpress@pa.gov