Critical Legislation Passes on Last Day of Session, After Twelve Consecutive Years of Advocates Campaigning for Passage of Assault Weapons Ban
The Policy was Sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight and Sen. Louis DiPalma, Who Were Instrumental in Getting the Bill Over the Finish Line
PROVIDENCE — Today, Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and the Rhode Island chapters of Moms Demand Action and Students Demand Action, both part of Everytown for Gun Safety’s grassroots network, issued the following statements after the Rhode Island legislature voted to pass SB359, critical legislation to prohibit the purchase of assault weapons and prevent future mass tragedies in the state. The bill was championed by longtime gun violence prevention champion State Rep. Jason Knight and State Sen. Louis DiPalma. The bill now heads to Governor Daniel McKee’s desk to be signed into law.
“Rhode Island lawmakers just reaffirmed that in an age of political dysfunction, gun safety is one of the rare issues where progress is still possible,” said John Feinblatt, president of Everytown for Gun Safety. “With the passage of this law, 15 states either ban or require a permit to purchase these weapons of war.”
“This victory didn’t happen overnight. It’s the result of nearly a decade of unshakable commitment from Moms Demand Action volunteers and gun safety advocates who never stopped fighting for their communities,” said Angela Ferrell-Zabala, executive director of Moms Demand Action. “Passing an assault weapons ban in Rhode Island is a huge, life-saving win, and it sends a clear message: progress is possible when people power leads the way. We’re not done—but today, we celebrate just how far we’ve come. We are eternally grateful to the bill sponsors, Rep. Knight and Sen. DiPalma who were instrumental in getting the bill over the finish line.”
“Today, the legislature chose to put kids’ safety before the gun lobby, and for that I’m incredibly grateful,” said Mia Tretta, a gunshot wound survivor from the shooting at Saugus High School in California and a volunteer leader with the Brown University Students Demand Action chapter. “As a survivor of a school shooting, I know how devastating gun violence can be. No student, no community, should have to fear for their lives when they are at school, the park or the grocery store, especially from weapons designed for the battlefield. This law is a major step toward protecting our communities.”
Moms Demand Action volunteers turned lawmakers were critical in getting this legislation over the finish line, serving as co-sponsors on the bill and working to build a coalition in support of the legislation. They are part of the 130 Demand a Seat lawmakers currently serving in statehouses across the country who are bringing their lived experience, urgency, and expertise into office to pass the gun safety laws our communities have been demanding for years.
Through the legislative process, the bill was amended to be more narrow in scope than the original language, but make no mistake, the bill passed today is absolutely still a ban on assault weapons..
Here’s what you need to know about SB 359:
- The bill prohibits the manufacture, transfer, and sale of the semi-automatic assault rifles that have been used in the country’s deadliest mass shootings — AR-15s and AK-47s — which account for the vast majority of assault weapons sold today. This bill covers the majority of the assault weapons market.
- If someone wanted an AR-15 or AK-47 rifle after the date of enactment, they would have to purchase one with a fixed magazine — like the models currently sold in Massachusetts and New York. These guns are slower to reload, giving bystanders valuable time to escape a mass shooting situation.
- Semi-automatic rifles are deadly because they fire high-velocity ammunition, are easy to reload, and have shoulder stocks that make them more suitable to use in war, especially when firing rapidly.
- The bill does not address a number of firearms commonly used for self-defense, hunting, and competitive shooting, including most semi-automatic shotguns and pistols.
- This bill is similar to Washington State’s law that bans sales, purchases, and transfers of assault weapons but does not restrict possession.
Mass shootings in which four or more people were killed where an assault weapon was used has resulted in nearly six times as many people shot, more than twice as many people killed, and 23 times as many people wounded on average compared to those that did not involve the use of one. Research shows a prohibition on assault weapons can prevent mass shooting fatalities and active shooter events. More on the critical nature of assault weapons bans can be found here.
Rhode Island is not yet a national leader on gun safety according to the Everytown Gun Law Rankings, ranking 13th in the country and below that of its neighboring states. Gun violence costs Rhode Island $752.1 million each year, of which $15.8 million is paid by taxpayers. More information about gun violence in Rhode Island is available here.