Updated Legislation to Watch: Click here
5-23-2019 ALERT!!!
The Sentate Judiciary committee will "consider" two bill next week. Since these bills have already heard input from the public, there will be NO INPUT from the public this time and none of the concerns that were addressed over several hours of testimony 2 months ago have been taken into consideration! It's important that you contact the Senate Judiciary and ask them to oppose these bills.Senator Erin Lynch Prata 401 737 4200 Senator Stephen R. Archambault 401 276-5589 Senator Harold M. Metts 401 272-0112 Senator Cynthia A. Coyne 401 222-6655 Senator Jessica de la Cruz (No Phone number listed) Senator Dawn Euer 401 276-5589 Senator Frank S. Lombardi 401 453-3900 Senator Mark P. McKenney 401 276-5599 Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis 401 229-4146
Video of the April 2nd, 2019, Senate Judiciary Hearing on Gun Bills
3-27-2019 ALERT!!!
The news didn't tell you: We had more than 3,500 people show up to the House hearing a few weeks ago. Let's do it again - because now the Senate is having their own hearing. And this year's bills are some of the worst ever in attempting to infringe upon your Second Amendment rights.- SPEAK UP You can contact the committee members easily here, or send your own email.
- SHOW UP We'll be there as early as 3pm and expect to be there late into the evening. You can show up whenever time permits BUT PLEASE SHOW UP. Wear your yellow shirts and buttons!
- There will be sign-up sheets where you can mark your position on the bills as well as identify if you are testifying or not.
- There will probably be a time limit so please testify only on the bills that are being heard and stay on topic. You will also have the opportunity to submit a written testimony if you choose not to testify.
- It's best to park at either the Providence Place Mall or at one of the Department of Health's parking lots if you arrive after 5pm.
- SPREAD THE WORD Tell your friends and family what is going on. Copy and paste the above and email it to them. Call them. Whatever it takes.
2-11-2019 ALERT!!!
The Fiscal Year 2020 budget will (H5151) will be heard on Tuesday February 12th, 2019 (agenda). The budget is done a little bit differently than other bills since it is a House bill that is heard in the Senate. We need you to contact the Senate Finance committee and let them know you are opposed to the bill since gun owners are unfairly targeted with extra taxes (ie. another 10% tax on guns and ammo) and bureaucracy. Please write them your own email or copy the text below to let them know you are opposed to more taxes on gun owners!President of the Senate and members of the Senate Finance Committee, I am writing to express opposition to the broad tax increases being considered in the 2020 budget proposal regarding firearms, ammunition, and their associated businesses/clubs/preserves. These blanket changes and increases should be removed. Most specifically, the targeted proposal of a 10% tax applied to guns and ammunition purchases should be removed from this and all future budget proposals. This tax increase will only strangle local small business owners and discourage an already-robust industry in the State of Rhode Island. Individuals will find the already-expensive costs of enjoying shooting sports to be too high. Furthermore, the right to keep and bear arms should not face specific taxation separate from any other privately owned good. Increasing taxes and operating costs of shooting preserves, gun clubs, and firearms related businesses will do much more harm than good. It is important for legislators to not lose sight of the forest at the cost of a few trees. We should be encouraging small businesses to flourish in Rhode Island, not stifle them, and that is all this tax increase will accomplish. Thank you for taking the time to read my comments. Very Respectfully,
Senate Bill No. 0084 BY Coyne, Lynch Prata, Miller, Conley, Seveney ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS (Prohibits the manufacturing, importation, sale, shipment, delivery, possession, or transfer of any firearm that is undetectable by metal detectors commonly used at airports and public buildings including 3D printed firearms as defined herein.) 5-29-2019: S0084 Sub A was voted out of committee and is scheduled for a Senate floor vote on June 5th.
Senate Bill No. 0156 BY Coyne, Seveney, Euer, DiPalma, Conley ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS (Limits the issuance of pistol and revolver carry permits to the office of the attorney general.) This is a REALLY bad bill that will that away the SHALL issue authority when it comes to issuing concealed carry permit and limit the issuance of pistol and revolver carry permits solely to the discretion of the Attorney General. The Rhode Island Supreme Court said in the Mosby decision that "Because the Firearms Act provides for both discretionary and mandatory licensing to qualified applicants, the constitutional guarantee to keep and bear arms is fulfilled. " In other words, if we remove the non-discretionary licensing authority our constitutional guarantee to keep and bear arms are not fulfilled. We MUST fight this bill! If your Senator is sponsoring this bill, ask him/her to withdraw their support for this bill. How this bill would affect your rights: This proposed law will make it virtually impossible for most citizens to obtain or renew a pistol or revolver carry permit. It would remove the ability of RI citizens to apply through a "shall issue" process via a town police department. Currently, RI citizens can apply for a carry permit in two ways: 1) Through a town police department or 2) Through the Attorney General's office Rhode Island is effectively "shall issue" if you use Option 1 above and apply through your town's police department. This means that most law-abiding citizens can obtain a carry permit and this is how the vast majority of citizens obtain carry permits in RI. The process is not easy but it’s also not impossible. However, if you try Option 2 and apply through the Attorney General's office, RI law is effectively "may issue". This means that the Attorney General can deny your application for virtually any reason. The proposed law would remove Option 1 above and make Option 2 your only path to a carry permit in RI. We MUST fight this bill! If your Senator is sponsoring this bill, ask him/her to withdraw their support for this bill.
Senate Bill No. 0464 (Attorney General) BY Coyne, Goodwin, Sosnowski, Felag, Lynch Prata ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Defines the term "ghost gun" and bans the manufacture, sale purchase or possession of a machine gun, a ghost gun or an undetectable firearm.)
Senate Bill No. 0469 (Attorney General) BY Goodwin, McCaffrey, Lynch Prata, Coyne, Valverde ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Enhances penalties for failure to report lost or stolen firearms to the police department, and specify penalties for making a false report of lost or stolen firearms.) How this law would affect your rights: It's already the law that any RI resident who owns a firearm must, in the event that the firearm is lost or stolen, file a police report. This bill would increase the fine for not reporting the loss or theft and add penalties for false reports.
Senate Bill No. 0502 (Attorney General) BY Seveney, Coyne, Valverde, DiPalma, Euer ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Requires firearms to be stored securely when not in use and enhances penalties for failure to store firearms in a secure manner.) How this law would affect your rights: It's already against the law in RI to leave a loaded firearm somewhere where a child might access it. This bill will update the law to say that RI gun owners MUST store all firearms in a locked container or with a cable lock, etc. This bill would make self-defense in the home much more difficult for many Rhode Islanders. For example, having to unlock a safe in the middle of the night to access a firearm could cause a dangerous delay for someone who needs to defend themselves immediately. Additionally, because a blank receiver is considered a firearm, RI residents would be required to store them securely as well even though they do not function.
Senate Bill No. 0595 BY Nesselbush, Crowley, Quezada, Lawson, Cano ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Provides that gun dealers on a monthly basis shall report a summary of all gun sales and transfers to the Rhode Island state police.) This is essentiall a GUN REGISTRATION bill. The bill currently excludes the name and address of the buyer, but this can easily be amended next year to make this a gun registration (and later confiscation) bill!
Senate Bill No. 0597 BY de la Cruz, Rogers, Paolino, McCaffrey, Lombardo ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Amends the definition of firearms to include taser. Permits any person over the age of eighteen (18) to possess a stun gun. Enacts the review and appeal process of applying for a license to carry with the licensing authority or attorney general.)
Senate Bill No. 0635 BY Miller, Lynch Prata, Goodwin, Gallo, DiPalma ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Bans possession, sale and transfer of assault weapons which are not property registered.)
Senate Bill No. 0636 BY Metts, Quezada, Crowley, Goldin, Lawson ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS (Prohibits firearms possession within 300 feet of school grounds except for peace officers, retired law enforcement officers, persons providing school security, firearms on private property and unloaded firearms in containers or locked car racks.)
Senate Bill No. 0637 BY Goldin, Coyne, Seveney, Euer, Miller ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- LARGE CAPACITY FEEDING DEVICE BAN (Prohibits sale/possession of feeding device holding more then 10 ammunition rounds punishable by up to $5,000 fine or up to 5 years imprisonment with law enforcement/military personnel exceptions.)
Senate Bill No. 0638 BY Miller, Lynch Prata, Goodwin, DiPalma, Lombardi ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS (Prohibits obtaining a firearm on behalf of another person if that person is prohibited from possessing a firearm. Increases the penalties for purchases of firearms by use of false information.)