Pennsylvania Attorney General Josh Shapiro has taken a firm stance when it comes to the so-called "ghost guns" made from do-it-yourself kits or 3D printers--they should be subject to the same regulations as other guns, including background checks on buyers and the requirement of a serial number. It's a common-sense position that the Biden administration supports in a proposal now under review that should be enacted into law.
There is good reason to be concerned about closing a loophole on the ghost gun purchases. The Justice Department said some 23,000 guns without serial numbers have been recovered by law enforcement at crime scenes, including 325 that were connected to homicides or attempted homicides.
Closing the loophole will not prohibit law-abiding citizens from purchasing the kits and building a gun at home. It will only require the same enforcement of laws related to other gun purchases.
Cracking down on the ghost gun loophole will not infringe on Second Amendment rights to own firearms. It will, however, make it more difficult for those barred from owning a gun to obtain one.