| Chapter 338 |
| 2021 -- S 0073 Enacted 07/12/2021 |
| A N A C T |
| RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES - THE HAROLD M. METTS SCHOOL SAFETY ACT OF 2021 |
Introduced By: Senators Ruggerio, Coyne, Goodwin, Gallo, Pearson, Euer, and DiPalma |
| Date Introduced: January 19, 2021 |
| It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: |
| SECTION 1. This act shall be known as the "Harold M. Metts School Safety Act of 2021". |
| SECTION 2. 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. |
| (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 that 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, who is a "peace officer" as defined in § 12-7-21,; a retired |
| law enforcement officer permitted under 11-47-11, and § 11-47-18(b) or pursuant to 18 U.S.C. §§ |
| 926(B) and 926(C) 926B and 926C,; or 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 that is not |
| loaded and is in a locked container or a locked rack that is in a motor vehicle. |
| SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. |
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| LC000259 |
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