2019 -- S 0636

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LC001616

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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: Senators Metts, Quezada, Crowley, Goldin, and Lawson

     Date Introduced: March 19, 2019

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     (Governor/ Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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

is hereby amended to read as follows:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

sanctioned by the educational institution:

     (1) Firearm instruction and/or safety courses;

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

     (3) Interscholastic shooting and/or marksmanship events;

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

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

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

colleges.

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

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

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

vehicle.

     SECTION 2. 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 prohibit the possession of firearms within three hundred feet (300') of

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

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

containers or a locked rack on motor vehicles.

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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