PRINTER'S NO. 2078
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE BILL
No.
1834
Session of
2021
INTRODUCED BY ISAACSON, SCHLOSSBERG, HOHENSTEIN AND SANCHEZ,
SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON JUDICIARY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2021
AN ACT
Amending Title 18 (Crimes and Offenses) of the Pennsylvania
Consolidated Statutes, in firearms and other dangerous
articles, providing for volunteer observers.
The General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
hereby enacts as follows:
Section 1. Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated
Statutes is amended by adding a section to read:
ยง 6111.6. Volunteer observers.
(a) Rights.--
(1) Notwithstanding section 6111(i) (relating to sale or
transfer of firearms) or any other provision of law, a
volunteer observer shall be permitted to witness the
processing of:
(i) Criminal history, juvenile delinquency history
and mental health records background checks by the
Pennsylvania State Police at the Instant Check Unit.
(ii) Applications for licenses to carry a firearm by
a county sheriff or the chief of police of a city of the
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first class.
(2) A volunteer observer who witnesses misconduct or
negligence during the processing described under paragraph
(1) may file a complaint with the Pennsylvania State Police.
The following apply:
(i) The Pennsylvania State Police shall investigate
the alleged misconduct or negligence.
(ii) An individual who files a complaint in good
faith shall be immune from any civil or criminal
liability associated with the filing.
(3) A v olunteer observer may not interfere with, hinder
or unlawfully delay the processing described under paragraph
(1). A volunteer observer who does so shall be subsequently
prohibited from serving as a volunteer observer.
(b) Requirements.--
(1) An individual who wishes to observe the processing
described in subsection (a)(1) shall submit an application,
on a form developed by the Pennsylvania State Police, to:
(i) the Pennsylvania State Police, in the case of
the processing described in subsection (a)(1)(i); or
(ii) the county sheriff or the chief of police of a
city of the first class, in the case of the processing
described in subsection (a)(1)(ii).
(2) An applicant for a volunteer observer may not
witness the processing described under subsection (a)(1)
until the applicant's application is approved by the
appropriate authority.
(c) Penalties.--
(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2), a volunteer
observer who violates section 6111 shall be subject to the
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penalties described in section 6111.
(2) Paragraph (1) does not apply to the filing of a
complaint under subsection (a)(2).
Section 2. This act shall take effect in 60 days.
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