Mark Pinsley, the Democratic nominee for Pennsylvania Senate District 16, supports practical gun safety measures that respect lawful gun ownership. He served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve and doesn’t see this as a fight over whether people can own guns.
What he supports
- Serial numbers and background checks for ghost gun parts, so guns can’t be built anonymously and can be traced.
- Universal background checks, including private sales of long guns. Pennsylvania already requires a background check for private handgun sales. Rifles and shotguns sold privately are exempt.
- Tougher penalties for straw purchases and gun trafficking — buying a gun for someone who can’t legally buy one is how many crime guns reach the street.
- Required reporting of lost or stolen guns.
- Red flag laws, letting a court temporarily remove guns from someone who’s a danger to themselves or others.
- Safe storage requirements and education.
- Community violence prevention, funded by the state and run in partnership with community and healthcare organizations.
Why ghost guns come first
A gun without a serial number can’t be traced. When one turns up at a crime scene, there’s no way to know where it came from. Requiring serial numbers doesn’t limit who can own a gun. It just makes it possible to answer that question afterward.
Common questions
“Does Mark Pinsley want to take my gun?” No. He served six years in the U.S. Army Reserve, and nothing he supports takes a gun away from anyone who can legally own one. The only exception is a red flag order, where a court temporarily removes guns from someone shown to be a danger to themselves or others.
“Don’t these laws punish law-abiding gun owners?” No. Every measure is aimed at people who misuse guns or aren’t legally allowed to have them. Anyone who can legally own a gun still can.
“Aren’t background checks on parts a burden?” It’s one extra step — and worth it if it keeps guns from people who are banned from having them. A gun built at a kitchen table should be as traceable as one bought at a store.
“Doesn’t safe storage get in the way of self-defense?” Modern quick-access safes open in seconds with a fingerprint or code. And the most common way a gun ends up with someone who can’t legally have it is theft from an unlocked home or car.
District 16 covers parts of Lehigh and Bucks counties. The general election is November 3, 2026.
