UPDATED: 15 Rhode Island cities/towns opposed assault weapons bill that passed House Judiciary

House Judiciary Committee votes on assault weapons ban – and it passes, 12-6

The House Judiciary Committee met in the House Lounge of the State House to consider legislation (2025-H 5436A) sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight (D-Dist. 67, Barrington, Warren) that establishes the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025. No public testimony will be heard.

The committee also reconsidered legislation (2025-H 5130A) sponsored by Rep. Jennifer Boylan (D-Dist. 66, Barrington, East Providence), that would define “crime gun” and require law enforcement to submit any crime gun or test fired cartridges or casings to the state crime laboratory or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) for ballistic testing and tracing.

RI Gun Rights notes that the modified bill passing the Judiciary Committee will then be out for a floor vote on Thursday, June 5th. The group encourages people to Email committee members and their State Representative to them them know your position on the legislation. If it passes there, it will proceed to the Senate for consideration.

Amendment

The amendment to the bill (2025 – H 5436) refines the definitions of firearms classified as assault weapons and replaces a requirement for grandfathered weapons to be registered with law enforcement with a voluntary certification program that provides proof of lawful ownership.

Specifics

If enacted, the ban would take effect on July 1, 2026.

Which Firearms Are Targeted?

The legislation outlines criteria for what qualifies as an “assault weapon”:

• Semi-Automatic Shotguns with a fixed capacity over 6 rounds, or those with features like detachable magazines, folding/collapsible stocks, or pistol grips
• Semi-Automatic Rifles with a fixed magazine over 10 rounds, or with detachable magazines and features such as folding/collapsible stocks, barrel shrouds, flash suppressors, pistol grips, or grenade launchers
• Semi-Automatic Pistols with a fixed magazine over 10 rounds, or with features like threaded barrels, barrel shrouds, stabilizing braces, or external magazine wells
• Other Firearms capable of accepting belt-fed ammunition
• Exceptions: Certain .22 caliber rimfire rifles and some Olympic target pistols

What Happens If You Already Own One?

You may be allowed to keep your firearm, but only under strict conditions:

• Must be legally owned before July 1, 2026
• Must be stored in a locked container or secured with a tamper-resistant lock
• May only be possessed at approved locations such as your home, business, or a licensed range

Voluntary Certification Process

Firearm owners who legally possess an affected weapon before July 1, 2026, may apply for a voluntary certificate of possession from their local police department or the Rhode Island State Police. The certificate serves as proof of lawful ownership and allows continued possession after the ban takes effect. The process includes a $50 fee, a criminal background check including fingerprints, and documentation showing legal possession prior to the cutoff date. The certificate will include identifying information about the firearm and the owner, but police are prohibited from retaining copies of the certificate or any personal data.

Who’s Exempt?

• Law Enforcement: Active and retired (under certain conditions)
• Military: When acting in their official capacity
• Licensed Firearms Dealers: May still possess and transfer banned firearms to qualifying entities or out-of-state buyers

Penalties for Violations

Storage/Use Violations for Grandfathered Firearms: Up to 3 years in prison, $2,500 fine, and forfeiture

Ban Violations: Up to 10 years in prison, $10,000 fine, and weapon forfeiture

RI Gun Rights maintains a list of RI cities and towns opposed to the legislation:

1. Burrillville (passed March 12, 2025) [Resolution Document]
2. Charlestown (passed May 19, 2025) [Resolution Document]
3. Coventry (passed May 13, 2025) [Video] [Resolution Document]
4. Exeter (passed April 7, 2025)
5. Foster (passed March 27, 2025) [Video]
6. Glocester (passed March 20, 2025) [Video] [Resolution Document]
7. Hopkinton (passed April 7, 2025) [Video]
8. Johnston (Passed May 12, 2025)[Resolution Document]
9. Lincoln (passed March 18, 2025) [Video]
10. North Providence (passed April 1, 2025) [Video]
11. Scituate (passed May 8, 2025)[Video] [Resolution Document]
12. Tiverton (passed April 7, 2025) [Video] [Resolution Document]
13. West Greenwich (passed April 2, 2025) [Video]

UPDATE: Both Smithfield and West Warwick resolutions opposing the gun ban have passed.

Middletown took a vote last night, and it failed due to lack of sponsor attendance.

Warwick failed.

UPDATE: Leader Chippendale statement on passage of Assault Weapons Ban: 

Rhode Island House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale provides the following statement on the passage of the Assault Weapons Ban Legislation (H5436) today in House Judiciary:

The proposed Assault Weapons Ban is not only an overreach of government authority but a direct challenge to recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions in District of Columbia v. Heller and New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen. While the Supreme Court declined to grant certiorari in the Sopnes and Ocean State Tactical cases this week, it is critical to understand that this does not equate to an endorsement of the lower court decisions. In fact, Justice Kavanaugh’s comments accompanying the denial explicitly left the door open for the Court to address these Second Amendment issues in the 2025 or 2026 term.

Should this bill become law, it will face immediate legal challenges – lawsuits that Rhode Island taxpayers will be forced to fund at a time when our state is already struggling to balance its budget. The cost of defending this constitutionally questionable law could run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars, with no guarantee of success.

Worse yet, this legislation does nothing to address the real source of gun violence – criminal misuse of firearms. Instead, it targets law-abiding citizens, turning responsible gun owners into felons overnight for simply owning a firearm that was legally purchased and safely stored. This bill punishes the people who follow the law, while doing nothing to deter those who commit crimes with illegal firearms.

The bill also places an unfunded mandate on local police departments, requiring them to implement a so-called “voluntary certification” program. But let’s be honest – there is nothing voluntary about it. If a citizen is found in possession of a “grandfathered” firearm without this certificate, they will be subject to criminal penalties. That’s not voluntary – that’s coerced compliance.

Additionally, Rhode Island’s recent spree of gun control laws has already damaged our eligibility for Pittman-Robertson Act federal matching funds, which are crucial to the Department of Environmental Management’s ability to conserve and maintain public lands. This new ban will further reduce those funds and simultaneously harm Rhode Island-based manufacturing businesses that supply parts and accessories for these now-restricted firearms. The result will be decreased revenue for the general fund, job losses in the private sector, and weakened support for public lands and conservation efforts.

Unfortunately, this bill has become a political stepping-stone for certain Democratic politicians more interested in resume building than public safety. Despite the narrative being pushed by Everytown and other national advocacy groups – using biased, unscientific polling data – the reality on the ground is clear: Rhode Islanders overwhelmingly oppose this legislation.

Let’s also be clear about who Everytown really is. This is the same organization that deliberately misled the public and manipulated our legislative process by setting up a deceptive email system that allowed supporters of gun rights to unintentionally send emails to legislators in favor of this bill. They misrepresented the will of Rhode Islanders to fabricate political cover for this unconstitutional overreach. Any organization willing to resort to such dishonest tactics has no credibility, no integrity, and no place in our policymaking process. They are not to be trusted – not with data, not with messaging, and certainly not with influencing the rights of our citizens.

That opposition was plain to see at the State House, where rallies against the bill outnumbered gun control advocates by a margin of at least 12 to 1. It was evident during public hearings, where the majority of testimony came from citizens opposing the bill. And it has been unmistakable in the inboxes of legislators, where emails opposing the bill have far outpaced those in support.

This legislation is misguided, legally vulnerable, economically harmful, and publicly unpopular. I urge my colleagues to reject this ill-conceived proposal before it further divides our state, drains our limited resources, and tramples on the rights of responsible Rhode Islanders.

___

Statement of Atty. Charles Calenda, constitutional rights attorney on passage in House Judiciary:

“Once again, RI legislators fail to grasp the meaning of Art 1, Sec 22 of the RI Constitution which says “The right of the people to keep and bear arms shall not be infringed.” With the passage of this bill which will outlaw nearly all semiautomatic arms, the Democrats in the general assembly trample on the civil rights of Rhode Islanders with the approval of Gov. McKee and AG Neronha. When Lt. Gov Matos said “Our goal is to remove every firearm out of the state of Rhode Island,” we should have taken her at her word.

The left will not stop until that goal is complete and the courts will not help in the near future. We need a state AG who will fight for the civil rights of our citizens and put the constitution of our state and the United States above all other political goals. Right now, we have a malignant narcissist running that office whose only goal is to move on up in politics. He doesn’t even believe he works for the voters of this state who didn’t support him.

If we in Rhode Island want change, it going to have to come from voting out the democrats in charge en masse. I know. Not easy. But there is no more room for negotiation. They won’t negotiate so we need to mobilize to take their power away. Otherwise we might as well surrender. I know no one wants to be saddled with supporting and helping political candidates running for office but there is no other option. We need republican legislators, state officers and judges. The only way we do that is to vote out the democrats. Raise money, volunteer to support those who step up to run and put your heart and soul into making it work. It will be difficult and frustrating, but the alternative is unacceptable. Rhode Island must say Enough is Enough.”

(a developing story)