Rhode Island: Committee Vote On Pair of Gun Control Bills Thursday

On Thursday, May 17^th, the Rhode Island state Senate Judiciary Committee will meet to consider Senate Bill 2292 and Senate Bill 2492.  Please contact committee members and urge them to OPPOSE S.2292 and S.2492.  Click the “Take Action” button below to contact Senate Judiciary Committee members.

Senate Bill 2292, sponsored by Senator James Seveney (D-11), would ban certain firearm accessories and impose a $10,000 fine and 10-year prison sentence.  Aside from the harsh penalty for possessing a firearm accessory, the legislation’s language is extremely broad and includes any accessory “which accelerates the rate of fire.”  In other words, this means that common modifications to firearms to make them more suitable for self-defense, target shooting, hunting, and even overcoming disability may be banned, with violations resulting in severe penalties.  This bill is poorly crafted and should be opposed.  The only thing this is going to do is put law-abiding competitive shooters in jeopardy of prosecution.  

Senate Bill 2492, sponsored by Senator Maryellen Goodwin (D-1), would create broad gun ban powers under the guise of “extreme risk” protection orders.  NRA-ILA strongly believes that dangerous individuals should not have firearms.  However, this “red flag” legislation is an overreach with few legal protections for those who may be falsely accused.   This sweeping legislation would allow almost anyone to have another's guns taken with little or no due process.  The bill allows seizure and forfeiture through ex parte hearings where a respondent isn't given notice and a hearing. 

These bills were already heard in the Senate Judiciary Committee back in March.  They were “held for further study,” but a committee vote is now expected on Thursday.  The House also passed their versions of the bills earlier in the session.  The House bills included House Bill 7075 (firearm modification) by Representative Robert Craven (D-32) and House Bill 7688 (red-flag) by Representative Dennis Canario (D-71).

Again, please click the “Take Action” button above to contact members of the Senate Judiciary Committee immediately and respectfully request that they oppose S.2292 and S.2492. 

Senate Judiciary Committee:

Chairperson: Senator Erin Lynch Prata
[email protected] 
(401) 739-8500

Vice Chairperson: Senator Stephen R. Archambault
[email protected] 
(401) 276-5589

Senator Cynthia A. Coyne
[email protected] 
(401) 222-6655

Senator Mark W. Gee
[email protected] 
(401) 222-2708

Senator Paul V. Jabour
[email protected] 
(401) 751-3300

Senator Frank S. Lombardi
[email protected] 
(401) 453-3900

Secretary: Senator Harold M. Metts
[email protected] 
(401) 272-0112

Senator Donna M. Nesselbush
[email protected] 
(401) 276-5568

Senator Leonidas P. Raptakis
[email protected]
(401) 397-2720