2023 -- H 6069

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LC002078

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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 Knight, Tanzi, Boylan, Dawson, Slater, and Shanley

     Date Introduced: March 03, 2023

     Referred To: House Judiciary

     (Attorney General)

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 11-47-5 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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     11-47-5. Possession of firearms by certain persons prohibited.

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     (a) No person shall purchase, own, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession any

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firearm if that person:

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     (1) Has been convicted in this state or elsewhere of a crime of violence;

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     (2) Has, in this state or elsewhere, entered a plea of nolo contendere to or been convicted

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of a felony;

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     (2)(3) Is a fugitive from justice;

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     (3)(4) Has, in this state or elsewhere, entered a plea of nolo contendere to or been convicted

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of an offense punishable as a felony under § 12-29-5; or

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     (4)(5) Has, in this state or elsewhere, entered a plea of nolo contendere to or been convicted

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of any of the following offenses punishable as a misdemeanor under § 12-29-5:

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     (i) Simple assault (§ 11-5-3);

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     (ii) Cyberstalking and cyberharassment (§ 11-52-4.2);

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     (iii) Violation of a protective order (as set forth in § 12-29-2(a)(10); or

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     (iv) Disorderly conduct (§ 11-45-1).

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     (A) A disorderly conduct conviction shall result in prohibition under this section if and

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only if the offense involves the use or attempted use of force or the threatened use of a dangerous

 

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weapon.

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     (5)(6) The provisions of this subsection shall apply to all persons who enter a plea of nolo

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contendere to or have been convicted of any of the offenses specified in subsections (a)(3)(4) and

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(a)(4)(5) of this section, unless and until that person’s matter has been expunged, or upon the

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completion of the sentence of a one-year filing, or the end of a one-year probationary period that

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no longer constitutes a conviction pursuant to § 12-18-3.

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     (b) No person shall purchase, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession any firearm

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if that person is subject to an order issued pursuant to chapter 15 of title 15, chapter 8.1 of title 8,

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or an equivalent order in this state or elsewhere, which order was issued after the person restrained

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has received notice of the proceedings and had an opportunity to be heard.

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     (c) No person who is in community confinement pursuant to the provisions of § 42-56-

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20.2, or who is otherwise subject to electronic surveillance or monitoring devices as a condition of

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parole, shall purchase, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession any firearm. This subsection

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shall not apply to any person who has not been convicted of (or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere

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to) a crime of violence in a court of competent jurisdiction.

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     (d) Every person violating the provisions of this section, with the exception of subsection

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(a)(2) of this section, shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2)

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nor, but not more than ten (10) years; and for penalties provided in this section he or she shall not

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be afforded the benefit of suspension or deferment of sentence nor of probation , of which the court

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may not suspend the first two (2) years of the sentence.

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     (e) Every person violating the provisions of subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be

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punished by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years.

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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 disqualify individuals with prior felony convictions from purchasing or

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possessing a firearm.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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LC002078

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