2019 -- H 5747

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LC001793

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Canario, Casey, Johnston, Jackson, and Solomon

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Dept. of Corrections)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

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is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-47-9. Persons exempt from restrictions.

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     (a) The provisions of § 11-47-8 shall not apply to sheriffs; deputy sheriffs; the

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superintendent and members of the state police; members of the Rhode Island airport police

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department; members of the Rhode Island state marshals; Rhode Island state fire marshal; chief

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deputy state fire marshals; deputy state fire marshals assigned to the bomb squad, and those

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assigned to the investigation unit; Providence fire department arson investigators, provided that

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the investigator receiving the permit is a graduate of a police-training academy; correctional

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officers, chief inspector and inspectors, within the department of corrections; members of the city

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or town police force; capitol police investigators of the department of attorney general appointed

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pursuant to § 42-9-8.1; the witness protection coordinator for the witness protection review board

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as set forth in chapter 30 of title 12 and subject to the minimum qualifications of § 42-9-8.1;

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automobile theft investigators of the Rhode Island state police pursuant to § 31-50-1; railroad

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police while traveling to and from official assignments or while on assignments; conservation

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officers; or other duly appointed law enforcement officers; nor to members of the Army, Navy,

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Air Force, and Marine Corps of the United States, the National Guard, or organized reserves,

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when on duty; nor to members of organizations by law authorized to purchase or receive firearms

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from the United States or this state, provided these members are at, or going to or from, their

 

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places of assembly or target practice; nor to officers or employees of the United States authorized

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by law to carry a concealed firearm; nor to any civilian guard or criminal investigator carrying

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

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authority of the commanding officer of the military establishment in the state of Rhode Island

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where he or she is employed by the United States; nor to any civilian guard carrying sidearms or a

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

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

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commanding officer of the military establishment shall have on file with the attorney general of

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this state a list of the names and addresses of all civilian guards and criminal investigators so

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

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

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capacity of warden, associate warden, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant, correctional officer or

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

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including the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility; nor to the regular and/or ordinary

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transportation of pistols or revolvers as merchandise; nor to any person while transporting a

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pistol, or revolvers, unloaded from the place of purchase to their residence; or place of business,

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

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to a federal firearms licensee for the purpose of sale, to or from a bona fide gunsmith, or firearms

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repair facility, to any police station or other location designated as a site of a bona fide "gun buy-

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back" program, but only if said pistol or revolver is unloaded and any ammunition for said pistol

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or revolver is not readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such vehicle

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while transporting same and further provided, that in the case of a vehicle without a compartment

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separate from the passenger compartment, the firearm or the ammunition shall be stored in a

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locked container.

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     (b) Persons exempted by the provisions of this section from the provisions of § 11-47-8

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shall have the right to carry concealed firearms everywhere within this state; provided, that this

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

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firearms as merchandise or as household or business goods.

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     SECTION 2. Section 12-7-21 of the General Laws in Chapter 12-7 entitled "Arrest" is

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     12-7-21. "Peace officer" defined.

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     "Peace officer", as used within this chapter, means the following individuals or members

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of:

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     (1) Rhode Island state police;

 

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     (2) Any member of a municipal or local police department;

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     (3) Rhode Island airport corporation police;

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     (4) Rhode Island park police;

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     (5) Rhode Island capitol police;

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     (6) Rhode Island conservation officers;

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     (7) Rhode Island department of environmental management officers;

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     (8) Rhode Island fire marshals;

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     (9) Brown University police officers;

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     (10) University of Rhode Island campus police officers;

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     (11) Rhode Island College campus security;

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     (12) Campus security at the Community College of Rhode Island;

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     (13) Rhode Island sheriff's department;

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     (14) The investigators of the department of attorney general appointed pursuant to § 42-

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9-8.1;

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     (15) Any federal law enforcement officer;

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     (16) Correctional investigators, chief inspector and inspectors within the office of

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inspections, and correctional officers of the Rhode Island department of corrections;

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     (17) The witness protection coordinator of the department of attorney general;

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     (18) The warden, associate wardens, majors, captains, lieutenants, sergeants, correctional

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officers and investigators employed by a project operated by a municipal detention facility

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corporation, including, but not limited to, the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility; provided, such

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parties listed in this subsection (18) herein shall be deemed to be peace officers while in

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performance of their duties for the municipal detention facility only, and shall not be deemed to

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be peace officers at any time when they are not in performance of said duties;

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     (19) Retired non-permanent sworn members of any municipal police department shall be

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deemed to be peace officers only while in the performance of their duties for any municipal

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police department, and shall be permitted to carry their firearm while in the performance of their

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duties for the municipal police department, and shall be subject to in-service training

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requirements of title 42, chapter 28;

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     (20) Auto theft investigators appointed pursuant to § 31-50-1;

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     (21) Providence fire department arson investigators; provided, that the arson investigator

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is a graduate of a police-training academy; and

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     (22) Rhode Island School of Design police officers.

 

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     SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

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     This act would include the chief inspector and inspector as those exempt from carrying a

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firearm without a permit and would define them as peace officers.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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