Rhode Island 2023 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0647 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2023 -- S 0647
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7	7	LC002326
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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	____________
13	13
14	14	A N A C T
15	15	RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS
16	16	Introduced By: Senators McKenney, Kallman, Lauria, Tikoian, LaMountain, DiMario,
17	17	and Euer
18	18	Date Introduced: March 07, 2023
19	19	Referred To: Senate Judiciary
20	20
21	21
22	22	It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
23	23	SECTION 1. Section 11-47-35 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" 1
24	24	is hereby amended to read as follows: 2
25	25	11-47-35. Sale of concealable weapons — Safety courses and tests — Issuance of 3
26	26	permits to certain government officers Sale of firearms -- Safety courses and tests -- Issuance 4
27	27	of permits to certain government officers. 5
28	28	(a)(1) No person shall deliver a pistol or revolver a firearm to a purchaser until seven (7) 6
29	29	days shall have elapsed from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following the day of 7
30	30	application for the purchase, and when delivered, the pistol or revolver firearm shall be unloaded 8
31	31	and securely wrapped, with the bill of sale to be enclosed within the wrapper with the pistol or 9
32	32	revolver firearm. As used in this section, "firearm" means a rifle, shotgun, pistol or revolver. Any 10
33	33	citizen of the United States and/or lawful resident of this state who is twenty-one (21) years of age 11
34	34	or older, not otherwise prohibited by federal or state law, and any nonresident member of the armed 12
35	35	forces of the United States who is stationed in this state and who is twenty-one (21) years of age or 13
36	36	older, may, upon application, purchase or acquire a pistol or revolver firearm. At the time of 14
37	37	applying for the purchase of a concealable firearm, the purchaser shall: (i) Complete and sign in 15
38	38	triplicate and deliver to the person selling the pistol or revolver firearm the application form 16
39	39	described in this section, and in no case shall it contain the serial number of the pistol or revolver 17
40	40	firearm; and (ii) Present to the person selling the pistol or revolver a pistol/revolver firearm, a 18
41	41	firearm safety certificate or basic hunter safety course certificate issued by the department of 19
42	42
43	43
44	44	LC002326 - Page 2 of 9
45	45	environmental management. The certificate shall be retained in the possession of the buyer. The 1
46	46	pistol/revolver firearm safety certificate, commonly referred to as a "blue card", shall certify that 2
47	47	the purchaser has completed a basic pistol/revolver firearm safety course test as shall be 3
48	48	administered by the department of environmental management. 4
49	49	(Face of application form) 5
50	50	Application to Purchase Pistol or Revolver Firearm 6
51	51	Date ………………………………………… Hour ………………………………… A.M. P.M. 7
52	52	Name ................................................................................................................................... 8
53	53	Address ................................................................................................................................ 9
54	54	(Street and number) (City or town) (State) 10
55	55	Date of Birth ................................................... Place of Birth .............................................. 11
56	56	Height ......................................... Weight ...................... Color hair ................................... 12
57	57	Color eyes ............................................................................................................................. 13
58	58	Scars .................................................................................................................................... 14
59	59	Tattoos ................................................................................................................................. 15
60	60	Other identifying marks ........................................................................................................ 16
61	61	Are you a citizen of the United States ..................................................................................... 17
62	62	Are you a citizen of Rhode Island .......................................................................................... 18
63	63	How long ............................................................................................................................. 19
64	64	Where stationed .................................................................................................................... 20
65	65	(Armed Forces only) 21
66	66	Number of pistols and/or revolvers firearms to be purchased ................................................... 22
67	67	Type of firearm(s) (e.g. rifle, shotgun, pistol or revolver)………………………………………… 23
68	68	Have you ever been convicted of a crime of violence .............................................................. 24
69	69	(See § 11-47-2) 25
70	70	Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement as addicted to a controlled substance 26
71	71	............................................................................................................................................. 27
72	72	Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement for alcoholism ...................................... 28
73	73	............................................................................................................................................. 29
74	74	Have you ever been confined or treated for mental illness ....................................................... 30
75	75	From whom is pistol or revolver firearm being purchased ........................................................ 31
76	76	Seller's address ..................................................................................................................... 32
77	77	Seller's signature ................................................................................................................... 33
78	78	Applicant's signature ............................................................................................................. 34
79	79
80	80
81	81	LC002326 - Page 3 of 9
82	82	(See § 11-47-23 for penalty for false information on this application) 1
83	83	(Reverse side of application form) 2
84	84	AFFIDAVIT: I certify that I have read and am familiar with the provisions of §§ 11-47-1 — 11-3
85	85	47-55, inclusive, of the general laws of the State of Rhode Island, and that I am aware of the 4
86	86	penalties for violation of the provisions of the cited sections. I further certify that I have 5
87	87	completed the required basic pistol/revolver firearm safety course. 6
88	88	Signed .................................................................................................................................. 7
89	89	(over) 8
90	90	County of ............................................................................................................................. 9
91	91	State of Rhode Island 10
92	92	Subscribed and sworn before me this ……… day of ……. A.D. 20..... 11
93	93	Notary Public 12
94	94	...................................... 13
95	95	(2) The person selling the pistol or revolver firearm shall on the date of application sign 14
96	96	and forward by registered mail, by delivery in person, or by electronic mail if approved by the 15
97	97	applicable police department, the original and duplicate copies of the application to the chief of 16
98	98	police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence or to the superintendent 17
99	99	of the Rhode Island state police in the instance where the purchaser either resides in the town of 18
100	100	Exeter or resides out of state. The superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or the chief of 19
101	101	police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence shall mark or stamp the 20
102	102	original copy of the application form with the date and the time of receipt and return it by the most 21
103	103	expeditious means to the person who is selling the pistol or revolver firearm. The triplicate copy 22
104	104	duly signed by the person who is selling the pistol or revolver firearm shall within seven (7) days 23
105	105	be sent by him or her the seller by registered mail, by delivery in person, or by electronic mail to 24
106	106	the attorney general. The person who is selling the pistol or revolver firearm shall retain the original 25
107	107	copy duly receipted by the police authority to whom sent or delivered for a period of six (6) years 26
108	108	with other records of the sale. It shall be the duty of the police authority to whom the duplicate 27
109	109	copy of the application form is sent or delivered to make a background check of the applicant to 28
110	110	ascertain whether he or she the applicant falls under the provisions of §§ 8-8.3-4, 8-8.3-6, 11-47-5, 29
111	111	11-47-5.4, § 11-47-6, § 11-47-7, or § 11-47-23, or 11-47-37. If, after the lapse of seven (7) days 30
112	112	from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, no disqualifying information 31
113	113	has been received from the investigating police authority by the person who is selling the pistol or 32
114	114	revolver firearm, he or she the seller will deliver the firearm applied for to the purchaser. Upon the 33
115	115	finding of no disqualifying information under the provisions of the above cited sections of this 34
116	116
117	117
118	118	LC002326 - Page 4 of 9
119	119	chapter, and in no case later than thirty (30) days after the date of application, the duplicate and 1
120	120	triplicate copies of the application will be destroyed. Retention of the duplicate and triplicate copies 2
121	121	in violation of this section or any unauthorized use of the information contained in the copies by a 3
122	122	person or agency shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000). The 4
123	123	provisions of this section shall not apply to bona fide sales at wholesale to duly licensed retail 5
124	124	dealers, nor to purchases by retail dealers duly licensed under the provisions of § 11-47-39. 6
125	125	(b)(1) The department of environmental management shall establish the basic 7
126	126	pistol/revolver safety course required by this section. The safety course shall consist of not less 8
127	127	than two (2) hours of instruction in the safe use and handling of pistols and revolvers and the course 9
128	128	shall be available to buyers continually throughout the year at convenient times and places but at 10
129	129	least monthly at locations throughout the state, or more frequently as required. Proficiency in the 11
130	130	use of pistols or revolvers shall not be prerequisite to the issuance of the safety certificate. No 12
131	131	person shall be required to complete the course more than once; provided, that any person 13
132	132	completing the course who is unable to produce the safety certificate issued by the department of 14
133	133	environmental management shall be required to take the course again unless the person provides 15
134	134	evidence to the department that he or she has successfully completed the course. 16
135	135	(2) The administration of the basic pistol/revolver safety course required by this section 17
136	136	shall not exceed the cost of thirty-five thousand dollars ($35,000) in any fiscal year. 18
137	137	(c) Proof of passage of the department of environmental management’s basic hunter safety 19
138	138	course will be equivalent to the pistol/revolver firearm safety certificate mandated by this section. 20
139	139	(d) Any person who has reason to believe that he or she does not need the required handgun 21
140	140	safety course may apply by any written means to the department of environmental management to 22
141	141	applies to buy a firearm shall take an objective test, administered by the department of 23
142	142	environmental management, or alternatively, the basic hunter safety course, on the subject matter 24
143	143	of the handgun firearm safety course. The test shall be prepared, as well as an instruction manual 25
144	144	upon which the test shall be based, by the department. The manual shall be made available by any 26
145	145	means to the applicant who may, within the time limits for application, take the objective test at the 27
146	146	department or at any location where the handgun firearm safety course is being given. Any person 28
147	147	receiving a passing grade on the test shall be issued a pistol/revolver firearm safety certificate, 29
148	148	(“blue card”), by the department. No person who passes the blue card safety test shall be required 30
149	149	to complete the test more than once; provided, that any person completing the test who is unable to 31
150	150	produce the safety certificate issued by the department of environmental management shall be 32
151	151	required to take and pass the test again unless the person provides evidence to the department that 33
152	152	they have previously successfully passed the test. The safety test manual and test questions shall 34
153	153
154	154
155	155	LC002326 - Page 5 of 9
156	156	be reviewed and amended every two (2) years, as appropriate, by the department of environmental 1
157	157	management, to reflect current laws and changes in firearm safety. 2
158	158	(e) [Deleted by P.L. 2005, ch. 20, § 11 and P.L. 2005, ch. 27, § 11.] 3
159	159	(f) The following persons shall be issued basic pistol/revolver permits firearm safety 4
160	160	certificates ("blue cards") by the department of environmental management: sheriffs, deputy 5
161	161	sheriffs, the superintendent and members of the state police, prison or jail wardens or their deputies, 6
162	162	members of the city or town police force, members of the park police, conservation officers, 7
163	163	members of the airport police and officers of the United States government authorized by law to 8
164	164	carry a concealed firearm and, at the discretion of the department of environmental management, 9
165	165	any person who can satisfactorily establish that he or she formerly held one of these offices or were 10
166	166	so authorized. 11
167	167	(g) Any person who is serving in the Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard 12
168	168	on active duty shall not be required to obtain a basic pistol/revolver firearm safety certificate/blue 13
169	169	card or basic pistol/revolver permit under this section so long as he or she remains on active duty. 14
170	170	(h) Any person who is serving in the active reserve components of the Army, Navy, Air 15
171	171	Force, Marine Corps, or Coast Guard, or any person in an active duty paid status in the Rhode 16
172	172	Island National Guard, shall not be required to obtain a basic pistol/revolver firearm safety 17
173	173	certificate/blue card under this section so long as he or she remains in active status. 18
174	174	(i) The provisions of this section shall not apply to full-time members of the state police, 19
175	175	full-time members of city or town police departments, persons licensed under §§ 11-47-9 and 11-20
176	176	47-11, or to sales of air rifles or “BB guns” or to sales of antique firearms as defined in § 11-47-2. 21
177	177	SECTION 2. Section 11-47-35.2 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" 22
178	178	is hereby repealed. 23
179	179	11-47-35.2. Sale of rifles/shotguns. 24
180	180	(a) No person shall deliver a rifle or shotgun to a purchaser until seven (7) days shall have 25
181	181	elapsed from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following the day of application for the 26
182	182	purchase, and when delivered, the rifle or shotgun shall be unloaded and securely wrapped, with 27
183	183	the bill of sale for it to be enclosed within the wrapper with the rifle or shotgun. Any citizen of the 28
184	184	United States and/or lawful resident of this state who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older, and 29
185	185	any nonresident member of the armed forces of the United States who is stationed in this state and 30
186	186	who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older, may, upon application, purchase or acquire a rifle or 31
187	187	shotgun. At the time of applying for the purchase of a shotgun or rifle the purchaser shall complete 32
188	188	and sign in triplicate and deliver to the seller the application form described in this section, and in 33
189	189	no case shall it contain the serial number of the rifle or shotgun. 34
190	190
191	191
192	192	LC002326 - Page 6 of 9
193	193	(Face of application form) 1
194	194	Application to Purchase Shotgun or Rifle 2
195	195	Date ………………………………………… Hour ………………………………… A.M. P.M. 3
196	196	Name ................................................................................................................................... 4
197	197	Address ................................................................................................................................ 5
198	198	(Street and number) (City or town) (State) 6
199	199	Date of Birth ................................................... Place of Birth .............................................. 7
200	200	Height ......................................... Weight ...................... Color hair ................................... 8
201	201	Color eyes ............................................................................................................................ 9
202	202	Scars .................................................................................................................................... 10
203	203	Tattoos ................................................................................................................................. 11
204	204	Other identifying marks ........................................................................................................ 12
205	205	Are you a citizen of the United States ..................................................................................... 13
206	206	Are you a citizen of Rhode Island .......................................................................................... 14
207	207	How long ............................................................................................................................. 15
208	208	Where stationed .................................................................................................................... 16
209	209	(Armed Forces only) 17
210	210	Number of rifles and/or shotguns to be purchased ................................................................... 18
211	211	Have you ever been convicted of a crime of violence .............................................................. 19
212	212	(See § 11-47-2 General Laws of Rhode Island) 20
213	213	Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement as addicted to a controlled substance 21
214	214	............................................................................................................................................. 22
215	215	Have you ever been adjudicated or under confinement for alcoholism ...................................... 23
216	216	............................................................................................................................................. 24
217	217	Have you ever been confined or treated for mental illness ....................................................... 25
218	218	From whom is shotgun or rifle being purchased ...................................................................... 26
219	219	Seller's address ..................................................................................................................... 27
220	220	Seller's signature ................................................................................................................... 28
221	221	Applicant's signature ............................................................................................................. 29
222	222	(See § 11-47-23 for penalty for false information on this application) 30
223	223	(Reverse side of application form) 31
224	224	AFFIDAVIT: I certify that I have read and am familiar with the provisions of §§ 11-47-1 — 11-32
225	225	47-59, inclusive, of the general laws of the State of Rhode Island, and that I am aware of the 33
226	226	penalties for violation of the provisions of the cited sections. 34
227	227
228	228
229	229	LC002326 - Page 7 of 9
230	230	Signed .................................................................................................................................. 1
231	231	County of ............................................................................................................................. 2
232	232	State of Rhode Island 3
233	233	Subscribed and sworn before me this ……… day of ……. A.D. 20.... 4
234	234	Notary Public 5
235	235	...................................... 6
236	236	(b) The person who is selling the rifle or shotgun shall, on the date of application, sign and 7
237	237	forward by registered mail or by delivery in person, or by electronic mail if approved by the 8
238	238	applicable police department, the original and duplicate copies of the application to the chief of 9
239	239	police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence or to the superintendent 10
240	240	of the Rhode Island state police in the instance where the purchaser either resides in the town of 11
241	241	Exeter or resides out of state. The superintendent of the Rhode Island state police or the chief of 12
242	242	police in the city or town in which the purchaser has his or her residence shall mark or stamp the 13
243	243	original copy of the application form with the date and time of receipt and return it by the most 14
244	244	expeditious means to the seller. The triplicate copy duly signed by the seller shall within seven (7) 15
245	245	days be sent by him or her by registered mail, by delivery in person, or by electronic mail, to the 16
246	246	attorney general. The person who is selling the rifle or shotgun shall retain the original copy duly 17
247	247	receipted by the police authority to whom sent or delivered for a period of six (6) years with other 18
248	248	records of the sale. It shall be the duty of the police authority to whom the duplicate copy of the 19
249	249	application form is sent or delivered to make a background check of the applicant to ascertain 20
250	250	whether he or she falls under the provisions of § 11-47-5, § 11-47-6, § 11-47-7, or § 11-47-23. If, 21
251	251	after the lapse of seven (7) days from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, 22
252	252	no disqualifying information has been received from the investigating police authority by the 23
253	253	person who is selling the rifle or shotgun, he or she will deliver the firearm applied for to the 24
254	254	purchaser. Upon the finding of no disqualifying information under the provisions of the above cited 25
255	255	sections of this chapter, and in no case later than thirty (30) days after the date of application, the 26
256	256	duplicate and triplicate copies of the application will be destroyed. Retention of the duplicate and 27
257	257	triplicate copies in violation of this chapter or any unauthorized use of the information contained 28
258	258	in them by a person or agency shall be punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand dollars 29
259	259	($1,000). The provisions of this section shall not apply to bona fide sales at wholesale to duly 30
260	260	licensed retail dealers, nor to purchases by retail dealers duly licensed under the provisions of § 11-31
261	261	47-39. 32
262	262	(c) The provisions of this section shall not apply to full-time members of the state police, 33
263	263	full-time members of city or town police departments, persons licensed under §§ 11-47-9 and 11-34
264	264
265	265
266	266	LC002326 - Page 8 of 9
267	267	47-11, or to sales of air rifles or “BB guns” or to sales of antique firearms as defined in § 11-47-2. 1
268	268	SECTION 3. This act shall take effect upon passage. 2
269	269	========
270	270	LC002326
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272	272
273	273
274	274	LC002326 - Page 9 of 9
275	275	EXPLANATION
276	276	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
277	277	OF
278	278	A N A C T
279	279	RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS
280	280	***
281	281	This act requires purchasers of any firearm including pistols, revolvers, rifles and shotguns, 1
282	282	to take and pass a basic firearm safety test as shall be administered by the department of 2
283	283	environmental management and provides that the safety course manual and test questions for 3
284	284	firearms be evaluated and updated every two (2) years so that they reflect current gun laws and 4
285	285	firearm safety. This act also repeals the option of taking a pistol/revolver safety course, which the 5
286	286	department of environmental management does not offer, and replaces it with a firearm safety test, 6
287	287	commonly known as the blue card test. It also incorporates the provisions of § 11-47-35.2 and 7
288	288	therefore, repeals that section. 8
289	289	This act would take effect upon passage. 9
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291	291	LC002326
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