Harrisburg, PA, September 9, 2026 – State Senator Christine Tartaglione (D–2, Philadelphia) today announced the introduction of Senate Bill 1449, legislation that would prohibit the possession, use, sale, transfer, manufacture, and production of machine gun conversion devices, commonly known as “Glock switches” or “auto sears”, in Pennsylvania.
The legislation comes after months of collaboration with law enforcement, public safety experts, prosecutors, and other stakeholders to ensure the bill provides a strong, workable framework to address one of the fastest-growing threats to public safety.
“This is a simple issue,” said Tartaglione. “Machine guns capable of automatic fire have long been prohibited under federal law because of their extraordinary destructive potential. The same standard should apply to devices that allow a handgun to become a machine gun. It’s common sense, and it will help protect both our communities and the law enforcement officers who put their lives on the line every day.”
Glock switches are small, inexpensive plastic or metal devices that can convert certain semi-automatic handguns into fully automatic weapons capable of firing multiple rounds with a single pull of the trigger. The devices can be installed in seconds, are often sold online or produced using 3D printers, and have become increasingly common in violent crimes across the country.
Their growing use has been particularly alarming in Philadelphia. In the last three years, Philadelphia police have recovered more than 400 handguns equipped with switches. Investigators also believe the devices were used in two mass shootings this past year that claimed 5 lives and injured 18 others, most of them under the age of 28.
“These conversion devices are cheap, easy to obtain, and incredibly dangerous,” Tartaglione said. “When a handgun is transformed into a fully automatic weapon, the potential for mass casualties increases dramatically. Our communities should not have to live with that threat.”
While federal law classifies these conversion devices as machine guns, Pennsylvania has no corresponding state prohibition. Following recent legal uncertainty surrounding federal firearm regulations and challenges to Philadelphia’s local ordinance due to state preemption laws, Senator Tartaglione said a statewide solution is essential.
Twenty-nine states have already enacted laws prohibiting machine gun conversion devices. Senate Bill 1449 would bring Pennsylvania in line with those states while reinforcing existing federal restrictions.
“My goal here is to honor the victims of gun violence, improve public safety, and give law enforcement another tool to keep these dangerous devices off our streets,” Tartaglione said. “Pennsylvania must make it unmistakably clear that handguns cannot legally be converted into machine guns. I urge my colleagues in the General Assembly to join me in supporting this common-sense legislation.”
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