Rhode Island became the 11th state to adopt a ban on common semi-auto firearms last year and is moving to take the guns that are still out there.
State Gov. Dan McKee signed S.359A into law last June before a select group comprised of fellow Democratic lawmakers and activists from Moms Demand Action and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence. The measure passed the state Senate 25-12 and the state House 43-28 largely along party lines.
Effective starting in July 2026, the new law prohibits the sale and manufacture of most semi-auto rifles as well as some semi-auto pistols and shotguns in the Ocean State. Those found to be in violation risk a decade in prison and fines as high as $10,000.
While the new law allows current owners to keep their firearms without registration, that may just be a "for now" kind of thing.
One of 18 anti-gun bills on the agenda for the Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee this week is H.8073, which bars possession of semi-autos classified under last year's ban. Eliminating the grandfathering allowed under the previous legislation would require such guns to be sold, surrendered, destroyed, or moved out of the state to avoid a possible 10-year prison sentence.
Other measures on tap this week are H.7035, which rations gun purchases to one per month, a bullet control bill (H.8071) which would require background checks through a new state-run database before all ammo purchases, and the requirement (H.8075) for gun owners in the state to carry at least $1 million in liability insurance.
The committee is set to hold hearings on Wednesday.
The state legislature has a long history of approving tough gun control laws, including banning gun sales to adults under age 21, outlawing open carry in most cases, enshrining controversial so-called "red flag" seizure laws, and placing a cap on magazine capacity.
Banner image: Springfield Armory Saint Victor 5.56 in Coyote Brown. In a recent review, we found this gun to hold its own no matter what we fed it. (Photo: Chris Eger/Guns.com)
