Representative Amen Brown (D-10) has introduced a new bill (former HB 1563) in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania legislature requiring anyone attending a gun show to show an ID. The gun show promoter must make a copy of the ID and keep it for five years. If the bill passes, they also must turn over those records to the Office of the Attorney General, any county prosecutor, or municipal police department upon request. There are no limitations as to why they can request the data.
The Representative from Philadelphia claims that he introduced the bill because “ghost guns” are sold at gun shows. No 80% kits have been sold at any gun show in the Key Stone state since the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) passed their rule against unfinished frames. Even though there was an injunction against the rule, SCOTUS stayed the decision until they could rule on it in the Vanderstok case.
“Having seen firsthand how easy it is to purchase a ghost gun kit at a gun show, I recognize that we must take legislative action to keep these weapons out of the hands of criminals,” Brown wrote. “To accomplish this, I will be introducing legislation that will require all attendees at Pennsylvania gun shows to present valid identification prior to entering the show. A copy of every attendee’s identification would be made, and the operators of the gun show must maintain these copies for at least five years. Additionally, operators would be required to make these records available to the Office of Attorney General and any county prosecutor or municipal police department upon the request of the Pennsylvania Attorney General.”
Rep Brown has been at war with the gun industry for years. He was instrumental in convincing Eagle Arms to ban JSD Supply from its gun shows. His celebration was short-lived because JSD Supply’s owner, Jordan Vinroe, purchased the gun shows, changed the name to Eagle Shows, and returned his company to the shows. That enraged Brown. Since Vinroe owns almost all gun shows in the Commonwealth, this bill puts his shows into the crosshairs. Mr. Vinroe himself is a huge Second Amendment supporter who has battled anti-gunners in court.
Mr. Vinroe sees the bill as an attack on the civil rights of Pennsylvanians. He says that the bill is constitutionally dubious for several reasons. Vinroe says it infringes on an American’s First Amendment right because it deters the right to peaceful assembly. He also points out that it violates Fourth Amendment protections and a citizen’s right to privacy. He also points out that the bill probably violates the equal protection clause of the Fourteenth Amendment. There will be ample grounds to challenge the bill if it becomes law.
“Former HB 1563 is a radical push to destroy your civil rights. This proposed amendment to Title 18 of the Pennsylvania Consolidated Statutes raises serious civil rights concerns by mandating the collection and retention of personal identification data from attendees of lawful gun shows,” Vinroe told AmmoLand News. “Such measures will infringe on First Amendment rights by deterring lawful assembly and participation in constitutionally protected activities. The requirement to scan and store attendees’ identification will violate Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, as it imposes an unwarranted intrusion into personal privacy. Additionally, the broad discretion granted to law enforcement to access these records raises Fourteenth Amendment concerns regarding equal protection and potential misuse of data, further threatening civil liberties.”
One of the groups that Vinroe has worked closely with in the past is Gun Owners of America (GOA), which has been sounding the alarm bells on the bill. Dr. Val Finnell is the Director of Pennsylvania for GOA. He states that the Gun Rights group downgraded Brown from an “F” to an “F-“ because of constitutional concerns over the bill.
“Amen Brown’s proposed legislation would create a registry of anyone who attends a gun show in Pennsylvania by requiring promoters to keep a copy of every attendee’s ID for five years,” Finnell said. “Brown will be downgraded from an ‘F’ to an ‘F- ‘by GOA because of his prime sponsorship of this Draconian bill.”
The good news for gun owners is that the bill is unlikely to pass, no matter what Brown wants. Even if it goes past the legislature and is signed into law, multiple lawsuits will be filed immediately.
About John Crump
Mr. Crump is an NRA instructor and a constitutional activist. John has written about firearms, interviewed people from all walks of life, and on the Constitution. John lives in Northern Virginia with his wife and sons, follow him on X at @crumpyss, or at www.crumpy.com.
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