2023 -- H 5574

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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 Place, Rea, Roberts, and Nardone

     Date Introduced: February 15, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     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" is

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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 the

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

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chief inspector and inspectors within the office of inspections, within the department of corrections;

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members of the city or town police force; capitol police investigators of the department of attorney

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general appointed pursuant to § 42-9-8.1; the witness protection coordinator for the witness

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protection review board as set forth in chapter 30 of title 12 and subject to the minimum

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qualifications of § 42-9-8.1; automobile theft investigators of the Rhode Island state police pursuant

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to § 31-50-1; railroad police while traveling to and from official assignments or while on

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assignments; conservation officers; or other duly appointed law enforcement officers; nor to

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members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps of the United States, the National Guard,

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or organized reserves, when on duty; nor to members of organizations by law authorized to

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purchase or receive firearms from the United States or this state, provided these members are at, or

 

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going to or from, their places of assembly or target practice; nor to officers or employees of the

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United States authorized by law to carry a concealed firearm; nor to any civilian guard or criminal

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

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

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

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or a 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 transportation

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

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

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to their place of business or from their place of business to their residence, or to a federal firearms

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licensee for the purpose of sale, to or from a bona fide gunsmith, or firearms repair facility, to any

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police station or other location designated as a site of a bona fide “gun buy-back” program, but

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only if said pistol or revolver is unloaded and any ammunition for said pistol or revolver is not

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readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such vehicle while transporting

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same and further provided, that in the case of a vehicle without a compartment separate from the

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passenger compartment, the firearm or the ammunition shall be stored in a 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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     (c) The attorney general shall have the authority to enter into agreements or otherwise

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formally approve reciprocal recognition with other states that require an agreement to be in place

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before that state will recognize a Rhode Island attorney general and a city or town police department

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concealed handgun permit as valid.

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     (d) The State of Rhode Island shall recognize and honor a concealed handgun or concealed

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weapon permit or license issued by any other state or county, provided:

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     (1) The permit or license holder is a non-resident who is twenty-one (21) years of age or

 

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older;

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     (2) The reciprocal state or county provides the means for instantaneous verification of the

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validity of all such permits or licenses issued within that state or county, accessible twenty-four

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(24) hours a day;

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     (3) The permit or license holder has in their possession the concealed handgun or concealed

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weapon permit or license along with a photo identification issued by a state or government agency

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and presents for verification the permit or license and identification upon demand by a law

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enforcement officer; and

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     (4) The permit or license holder is subject to the same laws and restrictions with respect to

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carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm as a resident of Rhode Island, who is so licensed.

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     (e) The State of Rhode Island shall recognize an official government issued law

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enforcement identification card issued to an active-duty law enforcement officer from any other

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state or county. These individuals shall be exempted from the provisions of § 11-47-8 and shall

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have the right to carry a concealed firearm everywhere within the state.

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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 the attorney general to enter in agreements with other states to

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recognize a concealed handgun permit as valid. This act would authorize the State of Rhode Island

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to recognize and honor a concealed weapon permit from out of state provided the license holder is

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twenty-one (21) years of age or older, the reciprocal state or county provides a means of twenty-

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four (24) hours instantaneous verification, the permit holder has in their immediate possession the

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valid out of state permit along with a state issued photo identification and the individual is subject

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to the same laws and restrictions with respect to carrying a weapon as a resident of Rhode Island.

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Further, any active duty law enforcement officers having a government issued identification card

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would have the right to carry a concealed firearm within the State of Rhode Island.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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