Pennsylvania bill would allow police under 21 years of age to carry handguns while off-duty

(WHTM) — A proposed bill in Pennsylvania would allow police officers under 21 years of age to lawfully carry a handgun while off duty.

State Rep. Jim Rigby (R-71) announced in a co-sponsorship memo that he plans to introduce legislation that would clarify that police officers under 21 years of age may lawfully carry a handgun when they are off duty.

The memo says under current law, Pennsylvania’s Uniform Firearms Act (Act) generally requires individuals to be at least 21 years of age to apply for a license to carry a firearm (LTCF). However, the memo cites a statutory exception under the Act that allows law enforcement officers to carry a handgun without first obtaining an LTCF, in recognition of the critical role they play in protecting our communities.

Rep. Rigby’s memo says the application of the exception is ambiguous, as police officers have adopted policies prohibiting younger officers from carrying their department-issued handguns outside of work hours, which he says leaves them “unable to respond to emergencies in the same way as their older counterparts, despite having completed the same rigorous firearm training and qualification requirements.”

Rep. Rigby asserts that police officers are “never truly ‘off-duty,'” and they should be equipped to act when a safety issue arises.

This document has not been submitted for introduction yet.