Rhode Island lawmakers pass bill to ban sales of assault weapons
Source: AP
Updated 12:56 AM EDT, June 21, 2025
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (AP) Rhode Islands Democratic-controlled state House on Friday approved legislation that would ban the sale and manufacturing of many semiautomatic rifles commonly referred to as assault weapons.
The proposal now heads to the desk of Democratic Gov. Dan McKee, who said in a post on the social platform X on Friday evening that he plans to sign the bill into law. If that happens, Rhode Island will join 10 states that have some sort of prohibition on high-powered firearms that were once banned nationwide and are now largely the weapon of choice among those responsible for most of the countrys devastating mass shootings.
Gun control advocates have been pushing for an assault weapons ban in Rhode Island for more than a decade. However, despite being a Democratic stronghold, lawmakers throughout the countrys smallest state have long quibbled over the necessity and legality of such proposals.
The bill only applies to the sale and manufacturing of assault weapons and not possession. Only Washington state has a similar law. Residents looking to purchase an assault weapon from nearby New Hampshire or elsewhere will also be blocked. Federal law prohibits people from traveling to a different state to purchase a gun and returning it to a state where that particular of weapon is banned.
Read more: https://apnews.com/article/rhode-island-semiautomatic-gun-ban-a2f4af9d91a2581905cd8212d536b7a5

Response to BumRushDaShow (Original post)
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BumRushDaShow
(156,467 posts)Meaning, RI will no longer allow any manufacturers to set up shop there nor will allow dealers to sell them. It doesn't ban "possession" meaning obviously someone can go to another state and get one.

MarineCombatEngineer
(15,862 posts)that the firearm be shipped to an FFL dealer in the State of Rhode Island for the background check, so I'm not quite sure how that works out.
I would imagine that the firearm is paid for at the point of sale so it could be reasonably argued that it's not being sold in the State of Rhode Island, so it would be legal.
BumRushDaShow
(156,467 posts)who has been "disappeared" thought drafting the law was basically all for naught.
The bill that was passed was this (in a PDF viewer) - https://legiscan.com/RI/text/H5436/2025
(PDF - https://legiscan.com/RI/text/H5436/id/3250779/Rhode_Island-2025-H5436-Comm_Sub.pdf)
(taken from here - https://legiscan.com/RI/bill/H5436/2025)
MarineCombatEngineer
(15,862 posts)There is, IMHO, nothing wrong with this bill, it doesn't actually restrict anyone from purchasing one of these rifles, it just restricts the manufacture and sale of such weapons within the state.
Bayard
(25,951 posts)
question everything
(50,616 posts)Archae
(47,245 posts)Once again the enforcement question comes up.
BumRushDaShow
(156,467 posts)but it doesn't apply to "possession" and goes into effect in 2026.
(in a PDF viewer) - https://legiscan.com/RI/text/H5436/2025
(PDF - https://legiscan.com/RI/text/H5436/id/3250779/Rhode_Island-2025-H5436-Comm_Sub.pdf)
(taken from here - https://legiscan.com/RI/bill/H5436/2025)