Following is a listing of executive and legislative action from the week of April 24. The Pennsylvania Senate and House of Representatives are both scheduled to return to session on Monday.

Gun Safety

The Philadelphia House Delegation on April 26 announced that an important set of firearm safety bills was approved by the Pennsylvania House Judiciary Committee and is on its way to consideration by the full House.

The package of legislation, which cleared its first key committee, is aimed at securing prompt reporting of theft or loss of firearms, keeping guns secure around children, regulating background checks, and repealing provisions relating to the sale or transfer of firearms, among other regulations.

Philadelphia House Delegation Chair Morgan Cephas explained that this is a “remarkable” day for the delegation as another hurdle in efforts to deflate gun violence has been cleared.

“This victory is long overdue. We are finally moving gun violence bills out of the Judiciary Committee. We have relentlessly fought for these bills,” Cephas said. “In a Republican majority, there was no chance for any kind of gun reform, but the time has come, and we couldn’t be more optimistic about this process.”

State Rep. Darisha Parker indicated that the bill on Safe Storage (H.B. 731) would help to save lives. Parker proposed consolidating statutes for firearms and other dangerous articles, providing for locking devices for firearms.

“There is no reason that anyone should lose a loved one because of a mishandled firearm,” Parker said. “My legislation would prevent needless tragedies by keeping guns safe, secure and out of the hands of the 1 million children who currently live in a home with unsecured firearms,” Parker said.

State Rep. Joseph C. Hohenstein, delegation secretary, who also serves as member of the Judiciary Committee, emphasized that the bills approved by the committee are common sense measures that responsible gun owners should have no problem with.

“For the right to bear arms to be properly exercised, it must be exercised by recognizing the rights of everyone else to their rights to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. Our country is founded on individual liberty, but the safety of our society cannot be compromised,” Hohenstein said.

State Rep. Malcolm Kenyatta, delegation treasurer and co-prime sponsor of legislation to report lost and stolen firearms (H.B. 338), pointed out that the gun violence crisis requires a complete government approach.

“For years I have championed legislation to end the scourge of straw purchasing weapons on our streets. This is basic. If you own a gun, you must report it lost or stolen to law enforcement. I’m thrilled to have it move out of the Judiciary Committee today. I will never stop working to make my district and our commonwealth safer,” Kenyatta said.

—Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus

Anti-Discrimination for LGBTQ+ Workers

On April 24, The Fairness Act (H.B. 300), which provides workplace protections against sexual- and gender-orientation biases, was voted out of the House Judiciary Committee 12-9 and will now head to the House floor for a vote.