Rep. Rob Kauffman (R-Franklin) was named new chief of the powerful House Judiciary Committee while Rep. Daryl Metcalfe (R-Butler) will take over the House Environmental Resources and Energy Committee, two of the many shuffles needed to cover nine openings from retirements and electoral defeats in caucus committee leadership.

Kauffman had previously been chair of the House Labor and Industry Committee, while Metcalfe chaired State Government.

By a wide bipartisan margin, the House Judiciary Committee advanced today legislation cutting back on punishments for marijuana possession.

The bill, Rep. Barry Jozwiak’s (R-Berks) HB 928, limits the first two penalties for possession of small amounts of marijuana to summary offenses with no jail time and a maximum $300 fine.

In round two of the House Judiciary Committee’s gun votes this week, two contentious, party-splitting decisions were each decided by a single vote.

A bump stock ban passed out of committee, but universal background checks failed to garner a majority.

On Tuesday morning the House Judiciary Committee met to consider a handful of firearm bills. 

The committee started off the meeting with Rep. Marguerite Quinn's (R-Bucks) House Bill 2060, which would require an individual who is found guilty and sentenced before a judge to hand over their firearms to a law enforcement officer or a licensed dealer. This bill would also shorten the amount of time that firearms must be forfeited from the current deadline of 60 days to 48 hours for an individual convicted of the misdemeanor crime of domestic violence. 

Rep. Quinn spoke with The PLS Reporter after the meeting.

Tuesday was a gun-focused day in Harrisburg, with several gun-related press conferences or rallies going on in the Capitol, while House Judiciary Committee hearing held at Harrisburg University revolved around firearm laws and public safety.