Disqualifies individuals with prior felony convictions from purchasing or possessing a firearm.
H5891 amends Rhode Island’s weapons laws to expand and clarify who is prohibited from purchasing, owning, carrying, transporting, or possessing firearms. The bill bars firearm possession by anyone convicted of a crime of violence, any felony, certain felony-level offenses under state law, and several specified misdemeanor offenses, including simple assault, cyberstalking/cyberharassment, violation of a protective order, and disorderly conduct when it involves force or the threatened use of a dangerous weapon. It also continues to prohibit firearm possession by fugitives from justice, people subject to qualifying protective orders, and certain individuals in community confinement or under electronic monitoring as a condition of parole.
The bill also sets out the penalties for violating these firearm prohibitions. Most violations would be punishable by two to ten years in prison, with no suspension, deferment, or probation for the first two years of the sentence. A separate penalty provision applies to the felony-conviction category referenced in subsection (a)(2), allowing imprisonment of up to ten years. The act would take effect immediately upon passage.
This bill would amend § 11-47-5 of the Rhode Island General Laws, the state’s firearm disqualification statute, by broadening and reorganizing the categories of persons barred from firearm possession. In practical terms, it would reinforce existing restrictions on firearm access for people with serious criminal histories and certain domestic-violence- or public-safety-related offenses, while also tying the prohibition to expungement and completion of certain sentences or probationary periods. It would affect individuals with prior convictions, people under protective orders, and some persons under parole supervision or community confinement, and it would leave the criminal penalties for unlawful possession in place or more clearly defined.
The available context suggests generally supportive sentiment toward the bill, with the caption and text reflecting a public-safety and gun-restriction approach. The bill was introduced by multiple representatives and referred to House Judiciary, indicating it was treated as a substantive criminal justice measure rather than a routine technical correction. No committee transcript or vote record is provided, so there is no direct evidence of formal opposition or support in the available materials beyond the bill’s stated purpose.
The main point of contention likely concerns the scope of firearm disqualification, especially the inclusion of all felony convictions and certain misdemeanor offenses such as simple assault, cyberstalking/cyberharassment, protective-order violations, and disorderly conduct involving force or a dangerous weapon. Supporters would likely view these restrictions as necessary to reduce gun violence and protect victims of domestic abuse and other threats, while critics may argue the bill is overly broad, could sweep in lower-level offenses, and imposes severe mandatory penalties. The treatment of when a conviction no longer counts—after expungement or completion of certain sentence/probation terms—may also be a point of legal and policy interest.