2014 -- S 2899

========

LC005432

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2014

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS

     Introduced By: Senator Maryellen Goodwin

     Date Introduced: April 10, 2014

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 11-47-9 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons"

is hereby amended to read as follows:

     11-47-9. Persons exempt from restrictions. -- (a) The provisions of section §11-47-8

shall not apply to sheriffs,; deputy sheriffs,; the superintendent and members of the state police,;

members of the Rhode Island airport police department,; members of the Rhode Island state

marshals,; Rhode Island state fire marshal,; chief deputy state fire marshals,; deputy state fire

marshals assigned to the bomb squad,; and those assigned to the investigation unit,; Providence

fire department arson investigators, provided that the investigator receiving the permit is a

graduate of a police-training academy; correctional officers, within the department of

corrections,; members of the city or town police force,; capitol police investigators of the

department of attorney general appointed pursuant to section §42-9-8.1,; the witness protection

coordinator for the witness protection review board as set forth in chapter 30 of title 12 and

subject to the minimum qualifications of section §42-9-8.1,; and automobile theft investigators of

the Rhode Island state police pursuant to section §31-50-1,; railroad police while traveling to and

from official assignments or while on assignments,; conservation officers,; or other duly

appointed law enforcement officers,; nor to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine

Corps of the United States, the National Guard, or organized reserves, when on duty,; nor to

members of organizations by law authorized to purchase or receive firearms from the United

States or this state, provided these members are at, or going to or from, their places of assembly

or target practice,; nor to officers or employees of the United States authorized by law to carry a

concealed firearm,; nor to any civilian guard or criminal investigator carrying sidearms or a

concealed firearm in the performance of his or her official duties under the authority of the

commanding officer of the military establishment in the state of Rhode Island where he or she is

employed by the United States,; nor to any civilian guard carrying sidearms or a concealed

firearm in the performance of his or her official duties under the authority of the adjutant general

where he or she is employed guarding a national guard facility, provided, that the commanding

officer of the military establishment shall have on file with the attorney general of this state a list

of the names and addresses of all civilian guards and criminal investigators so authorized,; nor to

duly authorized military organizations when on duty,; nor to members when at, or going to or

from, their customary places of assembly,; nor to any individual employed in the capacity of

warden, associate warden, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, correctional officer or investigator

at any project owned or operated by a municipal detention facility corporation, including the

Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility,; nor to the regular and/or ordinary transportation of pistols

or revolvers as merchandise,; nor to any person while transporting a pistol, or revolvers, unloaded

from the place of purchase to their residence, or place of business, from their residence to their

place of business or from their place of business to their residence,; or to a Ffederal Ffirearms

licensee for the purpose of sale, to or from a bona fide gunsmith, or firearms repair facility, to any

police station or other location designated as a site of a bona fide "gun buy-back" program, but

only if said pistol or revolver is unloaded and any ammunition for said pistol or revolver is not

readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such vehicle while transporting

same and further provided, that in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the

passenger compartment, the firearm or the ammunition shall be stored in a locked container.

      (b) Persons exempted by the provisions of this section from the provisions of section

§11-47-8 shall have the right to carry concealed firearms everywhere within this state; provided,

that this shall not be construed as giving the right to carry concealed firearms to a person

transporting firearms as merchandise or as household or business goods.

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC005432

========

LC005432 - Page 2 of 2

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS

***

     This act would permit Providence fire department arson investigators to carry firearms

statewide.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC005432

========

LC005432 - Page 3 of 2