Keystone Today

As part of a new federal rule that went into effect on Aug. 24, federally licensed firearms dealers in Pennsylvania who sell partially completed frames or receivers (PCFRs) that can be used to make a homemade gun must now conduct background checks before selling or transferring parts.

The new federal rule is designed to keep weapons out of the hands of criminals, a press release from Gov. Tom Wolf’s office said. “Ghost guns” have long been a concern for officials as they can be made at home and do not have serial numbers. This final rule that was implemented by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives creates several changes that includes changing the definition of a frame or receiver. It also stipulates that the background check must be done before selling or transferring PCFRs, and in the case of Pennsylvania, the Pennsylvania State Police (PSP) will conduct the background checks for the dealers.

“Gun deaths are at an all-time high across the nation and right here in Pennsylvania,” Wolf said in the release. “We can prevent some of this tragedy by keeping weapons out of the hands of those who can’t pass a background check. Today, thanks to the Biden Administration, we are able to do just that – if you can’t pass a background check to purchase a fully assembled gun, you also won’t be able to purchase the PCFRs to build your own gun at home. This is long overdue, and we’re ready to implement this rule in Pennsylvania immediately.”

The Pennsylvania State Police started tracking the seizure and recovery of ghost guns at crime scenes in 2021, but the City of Philadelphia began tracking this data in 2019. The numbers have shown an exponential increase in recovery and seizure. For Philadelphia, in 2019 there were 95 seizures and recoveries, but this number grew to 250 in 2020 and 571 in 2021. In 2021, the PSP recorded 24 seizures. This year, PSP and Philadelphia have already combined to seize and recover 334 ghost guns.

State Attorney General Josh Shapiro said that his office has been sounding the alarm on ghost guns and how they have been preferred by criminals for years. In 2019, his office tried to implement background checks, but their efforts were blocked through litigation from gun lobbies. 

“For years convicted felons, violent drug dealers, have all been able to buy these guns at gun shows without a background check,” Shapiro said in the release. “With these new federal regulations taking effect today and being implemented in our Commonwealth, we are making it harder for gun kits to end up in the hands of criminals and easier for law enforcement to track crime guns in their investigations. All this helps make Pennsylvania communities safer.”

In Wolf’s final budget, he committed $160 million to preventing violence in Pennsylvania, the release said. He has worked diligently over the years to curb gun violence. In January, the governor vetoed House Bill 979, which would have discouraged local jurisdictions from regulating firearms. And in December 2021, he vetoed Senate Bill 565 which would have removed licensing and background check requirements for concealed carry permits. The bill also would have overturned the City of Philadelphia’s requirement for an open carry permit. He has also invested $50 million in gun violence prevention programs.