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:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-47-60 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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     11-47-60. Possession of firearms on school grounds.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

 

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

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

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

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

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sanctioned by the educational institution:

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     (1) Firearm instruction and/or safety courses;

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

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     (3) Interscholastic shooting and/or marksmanship events;

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

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

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

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colleges.

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

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

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

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vehicle.

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     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

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

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

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containers or a locked rack on motor vehicles.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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