2019 -- H 5762

========

LC001627

========

     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2019

____________

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Diaz, Slater, Blazejewski, Craven, and Mendez

     Date Introduced: February 27, 2019

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Governor/Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

1

     SECTION 1. Section 11-47-60 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons"

2

is hereby amended to read as follows:

3

     11-47-60. Possession of firearms on school grounds.

4

     (a)(1) No person shall have in his or her possession any firearm or other weapons on

5

school grounds or within three hundred feet (300') of school grounds.

6

     (2) For the purposes of this section, "school grounds" means the property of a public or

7

private elementary or secondary school or in those portions of any building, stadium, or other

8

structure on school grounds which were, at the time of the violation, being used for an activity

9

sponsored by or through a school in this state or while riding school provided transportation.

10

     (3) Every person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be

11

sentenced to imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five (5) years, or shall be

12

fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

13

     (4) Any juvenile adjudicated delinquent pursuant to this statute shall, in addition to

14

whatever other penalties are imposed by the family court, lose his or her license to operate a

15

motor vehicle for up to six (6) months. If the juvenile has not yet obtained the necessary age to

16

obtain a license, the court may impose as part of its sentence a delay in his or her right to obtain

17

the license when eligible to do so, for a period of up to six (6) months.

18

     (b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who shall be exempt

19

pursuant to the provisions of §§ 11-47-9, 11-47-11, and 11-47-18 who is a "peace officer" as

 

1

defined in § 12-7-21, a retired law enforcement officer permitted under § 11-47-18(b) or pursuant

2

to 18 U.S.C. §§ 926(B) and 926(c), an individual in accordance with a contract entered into

3

between a school and the individual or an employer of the individual to provide security services

4

to the school, or to the following activities when the activities are officially recognized and

5

sanctioned by the educational institution:

6

     (1) Firearm instruction and/or safety courses;

7

     (2) Government-sponsored military-related programs such as ROTC;

8

     (3) Interscholastic shooting and/or marksmanship events;

9

     (4) Military history and firearms collection courses and/or programs; and

10

     (5) The use of blank guns in theatrical and/or athletic events.

11

     (c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to colleges, universities, or junior

12

colleges.

13

     (d) The provisions of this section shall not apply to the possession of a firearm:

14

     (1) On private property not part of school grounds or;

15

     (2) That is not loaded and is in a locked container or a locked rack located in a motor

16

vehicle.

17

     SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.

========

LC001627

========

 

LC001627 - Page 2 of 3

EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - WEAPONS

***

1

     This act would prohibit the possession of firearms within three hundred feet (300') of

2

school grounds except for peace officers, retired law enforcement officers, persons under contract

3

to provide school security services, firearms on private property and unloaded firearms in locked

4

containers or a locked rack on motor vehicles.

5

     This act would take effect upon passage.

========

LC001627

========

 

LC001627 - Page 3 of 3