Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0946 Latest Draft

Bill / Introduced Version Filed 04/04/2025

                             
 
 
 
2025 -- S 0946 
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LC002207 
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S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D 
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 Bissaillon, Lawson, Tikoian, LaMountain, and DiPalma 
Date Introduced: April 04, 2025 
Referred To: Senate Judiciary 
(Attorney General) 
 
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows: 
SECTION 1. Section 11-47-33 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" 1 
is hereby amended to read as follows: 2 
11-47-33. Possession of firearms by minors. 3 
(a) It shall be unlawful within this state for any person under eighteen (18) years of age to 4 
possess and use any firearm unless the person is in the presence of a parent or guardian or 5 
supervising adult at any regular and recognized camp or rifle range approved by the Rhode Island 6 
state police or by the chief of police of the city or town in which the camp or rifle range is located; 7 
provided, that this provision shall not apply to minors engaged in lawful hunting activity under the 8 
supervision of a parent or guardian or qualified adult, minors participating in Reserve Officer 9 
Training Corps programs, ceremonial parade activities, competitive and target shooting, 10 
participants in state militia activities and minors participating in a basic firearms education 11 
program; provided, further, that a person under eighteen (18) years of age may carry a firearm, 12 
unloaded, in a suitable case to and from his or her home and the camp or range and from the camp 13 
or range to other camp or range when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or supervising adult. 14 
(b) For purposes of this section only, “qualified adult” means any person twenty-one (21) 15 
years of age or older and permitted by law to possess and use the firearm.  16   
 
 
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage. 1 
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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 specify that it is unlawful for any person under the age of eighteen (18) to 1 
possess a firearm. 2 
This act would take effect upon passage. 3 
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