Co-Sponsorship Memo Details

In the near future, I intend on introducing legislation that will provide an exclusion from our state Sales and Use Tax for the purchase of a firearm and ammunition, a proposal similar to one recently introduced in the State of West Virginia.
 
The Second Amendment of the United States Constitution provides the “right of the people to keep and bear Arms shall not be infringed,” yet Pennsylvanians are subject to several taxes and fees relating to the purchase and ownership of firearms. This includes not only our state sales tax, but to the extent applicable, local sales tax, and those imposed by the Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau for the purchase of pistols, revolvers, and other portable weapons such as rifles and shotguns, along with ammunition under the Firearms and Ammunition Excise Tax (FAET).
 
With that said, my legislation will provide an exclusion from our state sales tax for the purchase of a firearm and ammunition.
 
The States of Louisiana and Mississippi host “Second Amendment Weekends” whereby the purchases of firearms, ammunition, and hunting gear are excluded from their respective sales taxes. I believe Pennsylvanians, with our longstanding history associated with hunting and trapping, deserve the same.
 
I respectfully ask for your consideration to join me as a co-sponsor of this important piece of legislation.