Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0335 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2023 -- S 0335
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7	7	LC001849
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9	9	S TATE OF RHODE IS LAND
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2023
12	12	____________
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14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS
16	16	Introduced By: Senators Burke, Ciccone, LaMountain, Rogers, de la Cruz, E Morgan,
17	17	and Tikoian
18	18	Date Introduced: February 16, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Judiciary
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22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 11-47-17 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" 1
24	24	is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	11-47-17. Qualifications required of law enforcement officers appointed after June 3
26	26	17, 1959. 4
27	27	Except as provided in § 11-47-15.3, all law enforcement officers of this state and its 5
28	28	political subdivisions whose permanent appointment shall take place after June 17, 1959, will be 6
29	29	required to qualify with the pistol or revolver with which they are armed prior to their permanent 7
30	30	appointment, that qualification to be the same as that required in § 11-47-15. Town constables or 8
31	31	police constables, special officers, and all law enforcement officers, who by law are authorized to 9
32	32	carry side arms and whose appointments are made on a recurring basis, will be required to qualify 10
33	33	not later than one year following the date of enactment of this section and their commissions or 11
34	34	warrants will be plainly marked or stamped “QUALIFIED WITH PISTOL OR REVOLVER” and 12
35	35	will be signed and dated by the certifying authority attesting to that fact. The failure of any law 13
36	36	enforcement officer to qualify under the provisions of this section revokes his or her privilege of 14
37	37	carrying a pistol or revolver, whether concealed or not, on or about his or her person. All law 15
38	38	enforcement officers of this state and its political subdivisions will repeat this qualification at 16
39	39	periods of not more than one year two (2) times per year at intervals of at least four (4) months, 17
40	40	except for correctional officers who must repeat this qualification one time per year. Provided 18
41	41	further, effective January 1, 2024, the qualification requirements pursuant to this section shall 19
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44	44	LC001849 - Page 2 of 3
45	45	include a nighttime low light/no light qualification component which shall simulate dusk to dawn 1
46	46	lighting conditions which conditions may be artificially produced indoors. 2
47	47	SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on July 1, 2023. 3
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53	53	LC001849 - Page 3 of 3
54	54	EXPLANATION
55	55	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
56	56	OF
57	57	A N A C T
58	58	RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS
59	59	***
60	60	This act would mandate that police officers qualify in the use of firearms two (2) times per 1
61	61	year instead of one time annually and correction officers qualify annually under lowlight/no light 2
62	62	conditions. 3
63	63	This act would take effect on July 1, 2023. 4
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