2021 -- S 0129

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LC000742

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2021

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

     

     Introduced By: Senators Coyne, Seveney, DiMario, DiPalma, and Euer

     Date Introduced: January 26, 2021

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Sections 11-47-11 and 11-47-34 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47

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entitled "Weapons" are hereby repealed.

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     11-47-11. License or permit to carry concealed pistol or revolver.

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     (a) The licensing authorities of any city or town shall, upon application of any person

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twenty-one (21) years of age or over having a bona fide residence or place of business within the

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city or town, or of any person twenty-one (21) years of age or over having a bona fide residence

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within the United States and a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon his or

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her person issued by the authorities of any other state or subdivision of the United States, issue a

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license or permit to the person to carry concealed upon his or her person a pistol or revolver

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everywhere within this state for four (4) years from date of issue, if it appears that the applicant has

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good reason to fear an injury to his or her person or property or has any other proper reason for

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carrying a pistol or revolver, and that he or she is a suitable person to be so licensed. The license

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or permit shall be in triplicate in form to be prescribed by the attorney general and shall bear the

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fingerprint, photograph, name, address, description, and signature of the licensee and the reason

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given for desiring a license or permit and in no case shall it contain the serial number of any firearm.

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The original shall be delivered to the licensee. Any member of the licensing authority, its agents,

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servants, and employees shall be immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, based upon any

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official act or decision, performed or made in good faith in issuing a license or permit under this

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chapter.

 

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     (b) Notwithstanding any other chapter or section of the general laws of the state of Rhode

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Island, the licensing authority of any city or town shall not provide or release to any individual,

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firm, association or corporation the name, address, or date of birth of any person who has held or

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currently holds a license or permit to carry a concealed pistol or revolver. This section shall not be

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construed to prohibit the release of any statistical data of a general nature relative to age, gender

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and racial or ethnic background nor shall it be construed to prevent the release of information to

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parties involved in any prosecution of § 11-47-8 or in response to a lawful subpoena in any criminal

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or civil action which the person is a party to that action.

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     11-47-34. Firearms permits to minors.

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     The Rhode Island state police or the chief of police of the city or town in which the person

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resides shall issue permits to any person under eighteen (18) years of age only upon satisfactory

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proof of being engaged in a course of training in the use of firearms at a regular and recognized

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camp or rifle range, and provided that the person has the written consent of a parent or guardian.

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Valid membership cards of junior gun clubs or of junior divisions of senior gun clubs incorporated

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in the state of Rhode Island shall be prima facie evidence of the person under eighteen (18) years

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of age being engaged in a course of training in the use of firearms at a regular and recognized camp

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or rifle range.

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     SECTION 2. Sections 11-47-8, 11-47-9.1, 11-47-12, 11-47-13, 11-47-18, 11-47-35.1, 11-

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47-35.2 and 11-47-60 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" are hereby

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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 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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     11-47-9.1. Additional exemptions.

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     The provisions of §§ 11-47-8 and 11-47-11 11-47-18 shall not apply to members of the

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state police, members of city or town police forces, and members of the Rhode Island airport police

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department. 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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     11-47-12. License or permit fee.

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     A fee of forty dollars ($40.00) shall be charged and shall be paid for each license or permit

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to the licensing authority issuing it. Every license or permit shall be valid for four (4) years from

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the date when issued unless sooner revoked. The fee charged for issuing of the license or permit

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shall be applied for the use and benefit of the city, town, or state of Rhode Island.

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     11-47-13. Revocation of license or permit.

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     Any license or permit may be revoked for just cause at any time by the authority granting

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it, and, upon revocation, the authority shall give immediate notice to the attorney general, who shall

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immediately note the revocation, with the date of revocation, upon the copy of the license or permit

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on file in his or her office.

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     11-47-18. License or permit issued by attorney general on showing of need -- Issuance

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to retired police officers.

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     (a) The attorney general may issue a license or permit to any person twenty-one (21) years

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of age or over to carry a pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not, upon his or her person upon

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a proper showing of need, subject to the provisions of §§ 11-47-12 and 11-47-15; that license or

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permit may be issued notwithstanding the provisions of § 11-47-7. Such person must undergo a

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national criminal records check, which shall include fingerprints submitted to the Federal Bureau

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of Investigation (FBI) by the bureau of criminal identification of the department of attorney general.

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The applicant shall be responsible for the cost of the national criminal records check.

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     (b) All state police officers and permanent members of city and town police forces of this

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state who have retired in good standing after at least twenty (20) years of service, or retired in good

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standing due to a physical disability other than a psychological impairment, may be issued a license

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or permit by the attorney general subject to the provisions of §§ 11-47-12 and 11-47-15. The term

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"in good standing" means that at the time of retirement, the police officer was not facing

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disciplinary action that could have resulted in his or her termination for misconduct or unfitness for

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office. Any member of the licensing authority, and its agents, servants, and employees shall be

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immune from suit in any action, civil or criminal, based upon any official act or decision, performed

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or made in good faith in issuing a license or permit under this chapter.

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     (c) Notwithstanding any other chapter or section of the general laws of the state of Rhode

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Island, the attorney general shall not provide or release to any individual, firm, association or

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corporation the name, address, or date of birth of any person who has held or currently holds a

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license or permit to carry a concealed pistol or revolver. This section shall not be construed to

 

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prohibit the release of any statistical data of a general nature relative to age, gender and racial or

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ethnic background nor shall it be construed to prevent the release of information to parties involved

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in any prosecution of § 11-47-8 or in response to a lawful subpoena in any criminal or civil action

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which said person is a party to such action.

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     (d) Local law enforcement shall cooperate with the attorney general throughout the

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permitting process.

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     11-47-35.1. Persons exempt from § 11-47-35.

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     The provisions of § 11-47-35 shall not apply to full-time members of the state police, full-

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time members of the state marshal's office, full-time members of city or town police departments,

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or state marshals or correctional officers or persons licensed under § 11-47-11 11-47-18.

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     11-47-35.2. Sale of rifles/shotguns.

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     (a) No person shall deliver a rifle or shotgun to a purchaser until seven (7) days shall have

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elapsed from twelve o'clock (12:00) noon of the day following the day of application for the

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purchase, and when delivered, the rifle or shotgun shall be unloaded and securely wrapped, with

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the bill of sale for it to be enclosed within the wrapper with the rifle or shotgun. Any citizen of the

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United States and/or lawful resident of this state who is eighteen (18) years of age or older, and any

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non-resident member of the armed forces of the United States who is stationed in this state and who

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is eighteen (18) years of age or older, may, upon application, purchase or acquire a rifle or shotgun.

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At the time of applying for the purchase of a shotgun or rifle the purchaser shall complete and sign

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in triplicate and deliver to the seller the application form described in this section, and in no case

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shall it contain the serial number of the rifle or shotgun.

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(Face of application form)

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Application to Purchase Shotgun or Rifle

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Date ………………………………………… Hour ………………………………… A.M. P.M.

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Name

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Address

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      (Street and number) (City or town) (State)

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Date of Birth Place of Birth

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Height Weight Color hair

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Color eyes

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Scars

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Tattoos

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Other identifying marks

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Are you a citizen of the United States

 

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Are you a citizen of Rhode Island

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How long

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Where stationed

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(Armed Forces only)

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Have you ever been convicted of a crime of violence

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(See § 11-47-2 General Laws of Rhode Island)

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Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement as addicted to a controlled substance

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Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement for alcoholism

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Have you ever been confined or treated for mental illness

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From whom is shotgun or rifle being purchased

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Seller's address

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Seller's signature

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Applicant's signature

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(See § 11-47-23 for penalty for false information on this application)

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(Reverse side of application form)

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     AFFIDAVIT: I certify that I have read and am familiar with the provisions of §§ 11-47-1

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-- 11-47-59, inclusive, of the general laws of the State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations,

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and that I am aware of the penalties for violation of the provisions of the cited sections.

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     Signed

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     County of

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     State of Rhode Island

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     Subscribed and sworn before me this ……… day of ………. A.D. 20..

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      Notary Public

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      ......................................

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     (b) The person who is selling the rifle or shotgun shall, on the date of application, sign and

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forward by registered mail or by delivery in person, or by electronic mail if approved by the

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applicable police department, the original and duplicate copies of the application to the chief of

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police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence or to the superintendent

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of the Rhode Island state police in the instance where the purchaser either resides in the town of

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Exeter or resides out of state. The superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or the chief of

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police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence shall mark or stamp the

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original copy of the application form with the date and time of receipt and return it by the most

 

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expeditious means to the seller. The triplicate copy duly signed by the seller shall within seven (7)

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days be sent by him or her by registered mail, by delivery in person, or by electronic mail, to the

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attorney general. The person who is selling the rifle or shotgun shall retain the original copy duly

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receipted by the police authority to whom sent or delivered for a period of six (6) years with other

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records of the sale. It shall be the duty of the police authority to whom the duplicate copy of the

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application form is sent or delivered to make a background check of the applicant to ascertain

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whether he or she falls under the provisions of § 11-47-5, 11-47-6, 11-47-7, or 11-47-23. If, after

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the lapse of seven (7) days from twelve o'clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, no

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disqualifying information has been received from the investigating police authority by the person

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who is selling the rifle or shotgun, he or she will deliver the firearm applied for to the purchaser.

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Upon the finding of no disqualifying information under the provisions of the above cited sections

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of this chapter, and in no case later than thirty (30) days after the date of application, the duplicate

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and triplicate copies of the application will be destroyed. Retention of the duplicate and triplicate

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copies in violation of this chapter or any unauthorized use of the information contained in them by

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a person or agency shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000).

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The provisions of this section shall not apply to bona fide sales at wholesale to duly licensed retail

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dealers, nor to purchases by retail dealers duly licensed under the provisions of § 11-47-39.

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     (c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to full-time members of the state police,

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full-time members of city or town police departments, persons licensed under §§ 11-47-9 and 11-

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47-11 § 11-47-9, or to sales of air rifles or "BB guns" or to sales of antique firearms as defined in

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§ 11-47-2.

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     11-47-60. Possession of firearms on school grounds.

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     (a)(1) No person shall have in his or her possession any firearm or other weapons on school

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grounds.

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     (2) For the purposes of this section, "school grounds" means the property of a public or

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private elementary or secondary school or in those portions of any building, stadium, or other

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structure on school grounds which were, at the time of the violation, being used for an activity

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sponsored by or through a school in this state or while riding school provided transportation.

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     (3) Every person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be

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sentenced to imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than five (5) years, or shall be fined

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not less than five hundred dollars ($500) nor more than five thousand dollars ($5,000).

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     (4) Any juvenile adjudicated delinquent pursuant to this statute shall, in addition to

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whatever other penalties are imposed by the family court, lose his or her license to operate a motor

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vehicle for up to six (6) months. If the juvenile has not yet obtained the necessary age to obtain a

 

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license, the court may impose as part of its sentence a delay in his or her right to obtain the license

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when eligible to do so, for a period of up to six (6) months.

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     (b) The provisions of this section shall not apply to any person who shall be exempt

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pursuant to the provisions of §§ 11-47-9, 11-47-11, and 11-47-18 or to the following activities

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when the activities are officially recognized and sanctioned by the educational institution:

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     (1) Firearm instruction and/or safety courses;

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     (2) Government-sponsored military-related programs such as ROTC;

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     (3) Interscholastic shooting and/or marksmanship events;

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     (4) Military history and firearms collection courses and/or programs; and

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     (5) The use of blank guns in theatrical and/or athletic events.

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     (c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to colleges, universities, or junior colleges.

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     SECTION 3. 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 repeal the authority to local authorities to issue permits to carry concealed

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weapons and gives only the attorney general the authority to issue permits, repeals provisions

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allowing minors, under certain conditions to carry firearms, requires a national criminal

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background check on every applicant for a concealed carry permit, requires local law enforcement

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to cooperate in the permitting process and repeals provisions allowing permits to be issued to law

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enforcement officers who have retired in good standing after at least twenty (20) years of service.

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     This act would take effect upon passage.

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