2023 -- H 5695
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LC001142
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S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
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 Noret, Hull, Baginski, Vella-Wilkinson, Finkelman,
Place, Dawson, Azzinaro, Costantino, and Lima
Date Introduced: February 17, 2023
Referred To: House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
SECTION 1. Section 11-47-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" 1
is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
11-47-17. Qualifications required of law enforcement officers appointed after June 3
17, 1959. 4
Except as provided in § 11-47-15.3, all law enforcement officers of this state and its 5
political subdivisions whose permanent appointment shall take place after June 17, 1959, will be 6
required to qualify with the pistol or revolver with which they are armed prior to their permanent 7
appointment, that qualification to be the same as that required in § 11-47-15. Town constables or 8
police constables, special officers, and all law enforcement officers, who by law are authorized to 9
carry side arms and whose appointments are made on a recurring basis, will be required to qualify 10
not later than one year following the date of enactment of this section and their commissions or 11
warrants will be plainly marked or stamped “QUALIFIED WITH PISTOL OR REVOLVER” and 12
will be signed and dated by the certifying authority attesting to that fact. The failure of any law 13
enforcement officer to qualify under the provisions of this section revokes his or her privilege of 14
carrying a pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not, on or about his or her person. All law 15
enforcement officers of this state and its political subdivisions will repeat this qualification at 16
periods of not more than one year two (2) times per year at intervals of at least four (4) months, 17
except for correctional officers who must repeat this qualification one time per year. Provided 18
further, effective January 1, 2024, the qualification requirements pursuant to this section shall 19
LC001142 - Page 2 of 3
include a nighttime low light/no light qualification component which shall simulate dusk to dawn 1
lighting conditions which conditions may be artificially produced indoors. 2
SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. 3
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LC001142 - Page 3 of 3
EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS
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This act would mandate that police officers qualify in the use of firearms two (2) times per 1
year instead of one time annually and correction officers qualify annually under lowlight/no light 2
conditions. 3
This act would take effect on July 1, 2023. 4
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LC001142
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