Are you threatened with criminal charges for illegal possession of weapons? Do you have questions about your eligibility to own a firearm? A Rhode Island licensed attorney can answer these questions and more. McKee said Rhode Island will continue to take action and save lives after mass shootings in Buffalo, New York, and Uvalde, Texas, regardless of what happens in the U.S. Congress. In the U.S. Senate, Democratic and Republican senators disagreed last week over how to keep guns away from dangerous people, as negotiators struggled to finalize the details of a compromise against gun violence. Those who already own magazines or high-capacity firearms have 180 days to permanently change them to comply with the law, hand them over to police or sell them to buyers in places where they remain legal. Law enforcement and military personnel are exempt. Rhode Island generally prohibits the manufacture, sale, purchase, or possession of a machine gun.1 However, the Attorney General may grant a license or authorization to any person, business, or entity involved in the manufacture of machine guns and some or all machine gun parts in the state.2 The laws aim to: Reduce gun violence and prevent mass shootings like the recent one in New York and Texas. In addition to banning high-capacity firearms magazines, the bills raise the state`s minimum age for purchasing rifles and shotguns from 18 to 21 and ban the carrying of loaded rifles and shotguns in public.

Current state law already prohibits the sale or possession of handguns to anyone under the age of 21. Federal law requires machine guns to be registered with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms & Explosives (ATF) and generally prohibits the transfer or possession of machine guns manufactured after May 19, 1986.5 In December 2018, the ATF passed a rule to include bump stocks in the definition of a machine gun subject to this federal law. This means that bump stocks will generally be banned from March 26. 2019.6 Note: State laws may still change due to the passage of new laws, decisions in higher courts (including federal decisions), voting initiatives, and other means. While we strive to provide the most up-to-date information available, please consult an attorney or conduct your own legal research to review the state laws you are seeking. Penalties for illegal possession on or near school property Get personalized advice and ask your legal questions. Many Rhode Island attorneys offer free consultations. In 2018, Rhode Island also passed legislation criminalizing the conversion of a semi-automatic firearm to a fully automatic firearm.3 For a full discussion on this topic, see our summary of the Automatic and Machine Gun Policy. The bill passed the Rhode Island House of Representatives and Senate this month. After the purchase of a firearm, the waiting period for the purchaser to take possession is 7 days, unless the purchaser is a law enforcement officer or has a locally issued concealed carrying licence. [12] This new law also prohibits the possession of certain devices intended to be attached to a semi-automatic firearm to increase the rate of fire of the weapon, such as bump stocks, trigger cranks, and binary triggers, as well as any other device that, when attached to a semi-automatic weapon, “allows fully automatic firing.” 4 Rhode Island is a target/May hybrid transmitter state.

Each city`s “local licensing authority” (chief of police or city council if the place does not have a police force) has the power to issue carrier licences on a fault-of-fault basis,[4] but until recently, many police chiefs and municipal officials had refused to issue them. Often, an applicant is referred to the Attorney General, who is a “licensing authority.” In practice, it has been very difficult to obtain transport permits from the Attorney General`s Office, under its strict interpretation of the “appropriate determination of necessity”, which has only become stricter under the current Neronha government, addressing only those who can prove a specific threat to the applicant`s life, who have a work-related purpose (security guard) or who are a former police officer. [5] The Second Amendment to the U.S. Constitution originally protected the right of citizens to defend themselves against an invading army. Since then, it has been interpreted much more broadly to include general protection. For a summary of Rhode Island`s gun control laws, see the table below. However, the “shall” nature of the applicable law is confusing, as the plaintiff “should have a well-founded fear of injury to his person or property, or has another valid reason for carrying a pistol or revolver.” Some local police chiefs ignore the “other valid reason” clause and require a letter of need. Most local police chiefs also use the Auditor General`s app (which requires a need) and chiefs simply do the same. These cities are known for requiring additional requirements not included in state law, such as attending a gun safety course, acquiring notarized reference letters, and requalifying with the caliber you want to wear at each renewal. However, state law requires an applicant for either permit to pass an ability test with the Army-L target at 25 meters and be certified by an NRA-certified police officer or instructor.

[6] [7] In most cases, the client does not grant permission unless the demonstrated need is extremely convincing (purpose of the work, danger to life, etc.). In the event of a refusal, applicants are offered the opportunity to appeal, which requires an interview with staff of the Criminal Investigations Bureau. This often results in the granting of a limited permit, often for use in the target area. However, state law does not give the attorney general the power to issue limited licenses, and state law explicitly states that carrying a firearm at a target range does not require a license. “The charger limit for large capacity is a bill that saves lives. That was our top priority. Crossing the finish line is just huge, and I`m very happy for the others,” said Boylan. “There`s always more to do, but we keep going.” By FindLaw Staff | Reviewed by Jeff Burtka, Esq. | Last updated: 09 June 2021 Residence permits can be issued by both the Attorney General`s Office and the local authorities of each city at 11-47-11, however, many localities refuse to issue to people who do not reside in their city or village, instead referring them to the Attorney General in violation of state law.