2023 -- H 5045

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

     

     Introduced By: Representatives Perez, Vella-Wilkinson, Noret, Lima, Corvese,
Costantino, and Cardillo

     Date Introduced: January 11, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-47-8 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" is

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hereby amended to read as follows:

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     11-47-8. License or permit required for carrying pistol — Other weapons prohibited.

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     (a) No person shall, without a license or permit issued as provided in §§ 11-47-11, 11-47-

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12, and 11-47-18, carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or on or about his or her

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person whether visible or concealed, except in his or her dwelling house or place of business or on

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land possessed by him or her or as provided in §§ 11-47-9 and 11-47-10. The provisions of these

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sections shall not apply to any person who is the holder of a valid license or permit issued by the

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licensing authority of another state, or territory of the United States, or political subdivision of the

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state or territory, allowing him or her to carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or

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on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed, provided that the other state, territory

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of the United States or political subdivision of any state or territory recognizes and gives reciprocity

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to license or permit holders from the State of Rhode Island, or provided the person is merely

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transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle or other conveyance without any intent on

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the part of the person to detain him or herself or remain within the state of Rhode Island. No person

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shall manufacture, sell, purchase, or possess a machine gun except as otherwise provided in this

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chapter. Every person violating the provision of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by

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imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand

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dollars ($10,000), or both, and except for a first conviction under this section, shall not be afforded

 

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the provisions of suspension or deferment of sentence, nor a probation.

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     (b) No person shall have in his or her possession or under his or her control any sawed-off

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shotgun or sawed-off rifle as defined in § 11-47-2. Any person convicted of violating this

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subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for up to ten (10) years, or by a fine of up to five

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thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

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     (c) No person shall have in his or her possession or under his or her control any firearm

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while the person delivers, possesses with intent to deliver, or manufactures a controlled substance.

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Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for not less

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than two (2) years nor more than twenty (20) years, and the sentence shall be consecutive to any

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sentence the person may receive for the delivery, possession with intent to deliver, or the

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manufacture of the controlled substance. It shall not be a defense to a violation of this subsection

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that a person has a license or permit to carry or possess a firearm.

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     (d) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a bump-fire device, binary trigger, trigger

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crank, or any other device that when attached to a semi-automatic weapon allows full-automatic

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fire. Individuals who possess these items shall have ninety (90) days from the enactment of this

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section to either sell, destroy, or otherwise remove these items from the state of Rhode Island. Every

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person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment

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for not less than one nor more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000),

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or both, and, except for a first conviction under this section, shall not be afforded the provisions of

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suspension or deferment of sentence, nor a probation.

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     (e) No person shall manufacture, sell, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, possess, or have

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under his or her control a ghost gun or an undetectable firearm or any firearm produced by a 3D

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printing process. Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished by

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imprisonment of not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or

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both and except for a first conviction under this section shall not be afforded the provisions of

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suspension or deferment of sentence, probation, nor fine. These provisions shall not apply to

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federally licensed manufacturers (FLN) pursuant to Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives

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(ATF) regulations.

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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 allow those persons with concealed carry permits issued by other states to

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carry upon their person weapons in Rhode Island provided that the issuing state recognizes and

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gives reciprocity to Rhode Island license or permit holders.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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