2025 -- S 0059

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LC000697

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

     Introduced By: Senators Tikoian, Lawson, Britto, Gallo, LaMountain, Gu, Bissaillon,
Felag, Dimitri, and Burke

     Date Introduced: January 23, 2025

     Referred To: Senate Judiciary

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

     SECTION 1. Section 11-47-2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" is

hereby amended to read as follows:

     11-47-2. Definitions.

     When used in this chapter, the following words and phrases are construed as follows:

     (1) “3D printing process” means 3D printing or additive manufacturing which is a process

of making three (3) dimensional solid objects from a computer file and shall include any of various

processes in which material is joined or solidified under computer control to create a three (3)

dimensional object, with material being added together including liquid molecules or powder

grains.

     (2) “Antique firearm” is defined as that term is defined under the provisions of 18 U.S.C.

§ 921.

     (3) “Binary trigger” means a device that replaces a standard trigger on a semi-automatic

weapon and is designed to fire one round on the pull of the trigger and another round upon release

of the trigger.

     (4) “Bump-fire stock” means any device that replaces a semi-automatic weapon’s standard

stock and is designed to slide back and forth rapidly, harnessing the weapon’s recoil to rapidly fire

the weapon.

     (5) “Crime gun” means any firearm used in a crime or identified by law enforcement as

suspected of having been used in a criminal offense.

     (5)(6) “Crime of violence” means and includes any of the following crimes or an attempt

to commit any of them: murder, manslaughter, rape, first- or second-degree sexual assault, first- or

second-degree child molestation, kidnapping, first- and second-degree arson, mayhem, robbery,

burglary, breaking and entering, any felony violation involving the illegal manufacture, sale, or

delivery of a controlled substance, or possession with intent to manufacture, sell, or deliver a

controlled substance classified in schedule I or schedule II of § 21-28-2.08, any violation of § 21-

28-4.01.1 or § 21-28-4.01.2 or conspiracy to commit any violation of these statutes, assault with a

dangerous weapon, assault or battery involving grave bodily injury, or assault with intent to commit

any offense punishable as a felony; upon any conviction of an offense punishable as a felony

offense under § 12-29-5.

     (6)(7) “Firearm” includes any machine gun, pistol, rifle, air rifle, air pistol, “blank gun,”

“BB gun,” or other instrument from which steel or metal projectiles are propelled, or that may

readily be converted to expel a projectile, except crossbows, recurve, compound, or longbows, and

except instruments propelling projectiles that are designed or normally used for a primary purpose

other than as a weapon. The frame or receiver of the weapon shall be construed as a firearm under

the provisions of this section.

     (7)(8) “Fugitive from justice” means any person who has fled from any state, territory, the

District of Columbia, or possession of the United States to avoid prosecution for a crime of violence

or to avoid giving testimony in any criminal proceeding.

     (8)(9) “Ghost gun” means a firearm, including a frame or receiver, that lacks a unique serial

number engraved or cased in metal alloy on the frame or receiver by a licensed manufacturer,

maker, or importer under federal law or markings in accordance with 27 C.F.R. § 479.102. It does

not include a firearm that has been rendered permanently inoperable, or a firearm that is not

required to have a serial number in accordance with the federal Gun Control Act of 1968.

     (9)(10) “Licensing authorities” means the board of police commissioners of a city or town

where the board has been instituted, the chief of police or superintendent of police of other cities

and towns having a regular organized police force, and, in towns where there is no chief of police

or superintendent of police, it means the town clerk who may issue licenses upon the

recommendation of the town sergeant, and it also means any other person or body duly authorized

by the city or town charter or by state law.

     (10)(11) “Machine gun” means any weapon that shoots, is designed to shoot, or can be

readily restored to shoot automatically more than one shot, without manual reloading, by a single

function of the trigger. The term also includes the frame or receiver of the weapon, any combination

of parts designed and intended for use in converting a weapon into a machine gun, and any

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combination of parts from which a machine gun can be assembled if the parts are in the possession

or under the control of a person.

     (11)(12) “Major component” means, with respect to a firearm:

     (i) The slide or cylinder or the frame or receiver of the firearm; and

     (ii) In the case of a rifle or shotgun, includes the barrel of the firearm.

     (12)(13) “Person” includes an individual, partnership, firm, association, or corporation.

     (13)(14) “Pistol” includes any pistol or revolver, and any shotgun, rifle, or similar weapon

with overall length less than twenty-six inches (26″), but does not include any pistol or revolver

designed for the use of blank cartridges only.

     (14)(15) “Rifle” shall have the same meaning as in 26 U.S.C. § 5845(c), and by barrel

length and overall length not be subject to registration pursuant to the National Firearms Act, 26

U.S.C. ch. 53 (prior § 5801 et seq.).

     (15)(16) “Sawed-off rifle” means any rifle with overall length of less than twenty-six

inches (26″) or barrel length of less than sixteen inches (16″).

     (16)(17) “Sawed-off shotgun” means any shotgun with overall length of less than twenty-

six inches (26″) or barrel length of less than eighteen inches (18″).

     (17)(18) “Sell” includes let or hire, give, lend, and transfer, and “purchase” includes hire,

accept, and borrow, and “purchasing” shall be construed accordingly.

     (18)(19) “Shotgun” shall have the same meaning as in 26 U.S.C. § 5845(d), and by barrel

length and overall length not be subject to registration pursuant to the National Firearms Act, 26

U.S.C. ch. 53 (prior § 5801 et seq.).

     (19)(20) “Trigger crank” means a trigger actuator that attaches to the trigger of a semi-

automatic weapon and causes the weapon to fire by turning the crank handle.

     (20)(21) “Undetectable firearm” means any firearm that:

     (i) After removal of all parts, other than a major component, is not as detectable by walk-

through metal detectors commonly used at airports or other public buildings; or

     (ii) Any major component of which, if subjected to inspection by the types of detection

devices commonly used at airports or other public buildings for security screening, would not

generate an image that accurately depicts the shape of the component; or

     (iii) Is manufactured wholly of plastic, fiberglass, or through a 3D printing process; or

     (iv) Upon which the frame or receiver lacks a unique serial number engraved or cased into

on the frame or receiver by a licensed manufacturer, maker, or importer under federal law, or

markings in accordance with 27 C.F.R. § 479.102. Provided, however, this subsection shall not

apply to any firearm rendered permanently inoperable or a firearm manufactured prior to 1968.

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     SECTION 2. Chapter 12-1 of the General Laws entitled "Identification and Apprehension

of Criminals" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section:

     12-1-10.2. Firearm's examination.

     (a) In the case of every offense in which a crime gun, as defined in § 11-47-2 is seized:

     (1) The arresting/investigating police department shall submit the firearm or at least two

(2) test-fired cartridge cases or shell casings to the state crime laboratory, the Federal Bureau of

Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF) or any qualified law enforcement agency with

personnel certified in forensic ballistics examinations for testing and entry of test fired casing(s)

into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN). Alternatively, the two (2) test-

fired cartridge cases or shell casings may be entered into the NIBIN system available at the Rhode

Island attorney general’s office; and

     (2) The arresting/investigating police department shall submit any information relative to

said firearm, including, but not limited to, its make, model, and serial number to the BATF for

tracing.

     (b) Whenever a law enforcement agency recovers any spent cartridge case(s) or shell

casings at a crime scene or has reason to believe that the recovered spent cartridge case(s) or shell

casing(s) is related to or associated with the commission of a crime, the arresting/investigating

police department shall, as soon as practicable, submit the ballistics information to the National

Integrated Ballistics Identification Network.

     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

***

     This act would define “crime gun” and require law enforcement to submit any crime gun

or two (2) fired cartridge cases or shell casings seized in any investigation to the state crime

laboratory or the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms (BATF) for testing and tracing and also

would require two (2) test-fired cartridge cases and any spent shell casings related to a crime to be

entered into the National Integrated Ballistic Information Network (NIBIN).

     This act would take effect upon passage.

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