The recent tragedy in Newtown, Conn. on Dec. 14 that claimed the lives of 20 children and eight adults inside Sandy Hook Elementary has ignited a battle over gun regulations across the nation.

The shooter, Adam Lanza, stepped into the school carrying a Bushmaster AR-15 rifle, Glock 10 mm and Sig Sauer 9 mm handguns and began to open fire on the defenseless teachers and students before taking his own life. His mother, Nancy Lanza, was shot and killed by her son inside her bedroom while she lay asleep.

So will this massacre that included the use of multiple semiautomatic weapons help stir representatives in Harrisburg to bring stiffer gun laws to Pennsylvania before another mass shooting takes place?

“They are going to talk about it a great deal, but I don’t know if a change will come to fruition because of our deep-seated belief of the constitution,” said Falls District Judge Jan Vislosky, referring to the many staunch supporters of the country’s second amendment right to bear arms. “Any threat to that change leads to people standing their ground (on the issue).

The primary weapon used in the attack was the AR-15 rifle, which Lanza used to fire numerous 30-round magazines, according to Connecticut State Police. Some versions of the AR-15 were banned under a 1994 federal law that expired in 2004, according to a CNN report.

“We are not going to get into that right now,” said Gov. Tom Corbett in the Patriot News, when questioned by reports about enacting new gun laws inside the state. “We’ve had discussions about gun-control legislation for many, many years, and there have been many gun-control laws that have been passed. … I am for enforcing the laws we already have.”

Pennsylvania does not ban the purchase of assault weapons like the one used in the Newtown attack, according to NBC 10 Philadelphia. Pennsylvania requires individuals over the age of 21 to apply for a license to carry a firearm but also requires a federal background check when purchasing a handgun, according to the Pennsylvania State Police website.

“It will be very difficult to pass gun control legislation notwithstanding the horrific tragedy in Connecticut,” said Franklin and Marshall College political analyst Terry Madonna, according to a CBS Philly report. “Many rural Republicans, as well as Democrats, tend not to support gun control legislation.”

Yet the national outcry has motivated President Barack Obama to proclaim that “this time, the words need to lead to action” during a press conference Wednesday, as he urged Congress to take immediate action when they convene for their new session on Jan. 3. Obama proposed banning the sale of military-style assault weapons and the sale of high-capacity ammunition clips, as well as criminal background checks for all gun buyers by removing loopholes that cover some sales, such as at gun shows, according to the AP.

The president also appointed Vice-President Joe Biden to spearhead an effort to “change an American culture that glorifies guns and violence” through gun restrictions, while also improving access to mental health care and protecting schools.

In full support of the president’s weapons and ammunitions ban, Sen. Bob Casey, D-Pa. said Wednesday that “If those two bills come before the Senate, I’ll vote for both,” according to an AP report. This is a full reversal for Casey, who as recently as November was elected to his second term under the promise he would not support gun control efforts.

“There’s no question I’ll be open to criticism and I understand that,” Casey said in an interview Wednesday with the Philadelphia Inquirer. “I just believe that in light of what’s happened, in light of measures we can take to lessen the chances that will happen (again), that these are two steps we can take.”

Yet, former Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Ridge cautioned that legislators should not stop short at gun bans but also protect citizens through better mental health measures in a Patriots News report Wednesday. “It’s a little more complicated than just bans and background checks,” he said.

So even with the support of Casey and the national backing for stricter gun laws, Vislosky emphasized that a new ruling inside the commonwealth would still lead to much resistance.

“It’s so ingrained in our belief system, so change will be very difficult,” Vislosky said.