Republican Gov. Tom Corbett is expected to sign legislation approved Wednesday by the Pennsylvania Senate that would impose a minimum five-year prison sentence on anyone convicted of buying guns for criminals.
According tot he
Pittsburg Post-Gazette, the legislation is aimed at strengthening sentencing for so-called 'straw purchasers," or people who repeatedly buy and sell guns to felons who are prohibited from buying them. It closes a loophole that prevented enhanced penalties for the second and additional illegal gun purchases.
CeaseFirePA called the Senate vote a victory for gun control in the state. The House had already passed the measure, which was backed overwhelmingly by Republican and Democratic lawmakers.
"It's the first time in more than a decade a piece of legislation specifically addressing gun violence by cracking down on illegal guns and people who supply illegal guns has passed out of the state Legislature," CeaseFirePA Director Max Nacheman said.
Sandy Fitzgerald ✉
Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics.
© 2026 Newsmax. All rights reserved.