The Rhode Island Chapter of Moms Demand Action, a grassroots initiative of Everytown for Gun Safety, released the following statement responding to the Rhode Island House and Senate Judiciary Committees advancing only parts of a gun safety bill package introduced by Attorney General Peter Neronha that would comprehensively combat gun violence in Rhode Island as it experiences a spike in shootings. The committees plan to advance bills to prohibit concealed carry in K-12 schools and strengthen the state’s straw purchasing laws. However, critical bills from the Attorney General’s package including legislation to prohibit the sale and possession of high-capacity magazines (H 5554/S 414) and prohibit the open carry of loaded rifles and shotguns (H 5969/S 417) were not placed on the committees’ agendas.
“As gun violence continues to devastate our communities, Rhode Islanders need and deserve more from their legislators,” said Jennifer Boylan, a volunteer with the Rhode Island chapter of Moms Demand Action. “While we feel encouraged that the General Assembly is advancing important legislation that we have fought for years to pass, we must do more to limit high-capacity magazines’ impact on our communities. We urge the House and Senate to listen to their constituents and vote on this bill before adjourning for the summer. Rhode Islanders deserve to know where their legislators stand on this critical issue.”
A majority of legislators in both chambers and all of Rhode Island’s General Officers are on the record in support of the bill to prohibit high-capacity magazines, as well as more than 70% of Rhode Islanders.