House passes Conklin bill to allow agents at the Office of State Inspector General to carry weapons
Rep. Scott Conklin March 18, 2025 | 3:22 PM
HARRISBURG, March 18 – The Pennsylvania House today passed state Rep. Scott Conklin’s bill that would authorize agents at the Office of State Inspector General to arm themselves for protection on the job.
Conklin said he introduced H.B. 36 to address a flaw in existing state law that leaves these officers – the only law enforcement officers in Pennsylvania not permitted to carry firearms while on duty – unable to properly defend themselves.
“The Office of State Inspector General is a government watchdog agency that roots out fraud and other misconduct in state programs, and their agents are out there every day fighting bad actors, just like other law enforcement officers,” Conklin said. “Unlike other law enforcement, though, OSIG agents are not authorized to carry a weapon. They are investigating crimes and serving warrants – often facing dangerous situations – without the ability to protect themselves. It’s time to fix the law and ensure these officers have the same ability to defend themselves as their colleagues in other agencies.”
Conklin said OSIG officers’ lack of authority to carry a weapon has other repercussions, as well.
“Not only does it endanger these officers, but it forces them to rely on local law enforcement, which burdens local departments and creates delays that can allow conflicts to escalate, jeopardizing broader community safety,” Conklin said. “I was pleased to see the House pass this bill with a strong bipartisan majority, and I will be urging my colleagues in the state Senate to do the same.”
The bill – which also requires firearms training for OSIG officers – now heads to the state Senate for consideration.