Rhode Island Poised to Enact Confiscatory Mag Ban, Age Restrictions, Open Carry Ban

in 2nd Amendment – R2KBA, Current Events, S.H. Blannelberry, This Week

The Rhode Island government is poised to infringe on the 2A rights of its citizens, including a confiscatory ban on magazines and purchase restrictions for adults under 21.

Per The Providence Journal, the state Senate Tuesday night approved legislation that would:

  • Outlaw the possession of standard capacity magazines that hold more than 10 rounds 
  • Raise the age to purchase firearms and ammunition from 18 to 21 
  • Prohibit one from openly carrying loaded long guns

There will be no “grandfather clause” for magazines that hold more than 10 rounds.  

Gun owners currently in possession of “large capacity feeding devices” will have 180 days to turn them over to police, sell or transfer them to individuals in other states where they are legal, or permanently modify them to only accept 10 rounds.  

“Critics will claim that no law can prevent the horrific mass killing we’ve seen in Buffalo, Uvalde, and so many other places. But the reality is that we can take meaningful action to reduce the risk of such a tragedy here in our state,” said Sen. Cynthia Coyne in a speech before the Senate.  

“Large-capacity magazines enable killing on a massive scale. That is their sole purpose. As such, they have no place on our streets and in our society,” added Coyne, a retired Rhode Island State Police trooper.

Graphic Video: Robbery Ends Very Badly for Armed Suspect

Initially, the sweeping mag ban stalled in the Senate Judiciary Committee with a 6-6 tie vote.  

However, Senate Majority Leader Michael McCaffrey (D-29) forced the measure through via an “immediate consideration” procedure that fast-tracked it to the floor for a vote before the entire chamber, according to WLNE

The full Senate then voted 25-11 to pass the mag ban. 

Alan Gottlieb, the founder of the Second Amendment Foundation, indicated that a lawsuit challenging the constitutionality of the legislation would be forthcoming.

“If banning magazines with more than 10 pages is unconstitutional under the first amendment why is banning magazines with more than ten bullets NOT unconstitutional under the second amendment?

“That is the question the Second Amendment Foundation will be asking the courts to decide,” Gottlieb told GunsAmerica via email.

All three bills will now head to the desk of Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee, a Democrat. 

Gov. McKee has not yet indicated whether he plans to sign them into law but based on his political affiliation, it doesn’t look good for gun owners.

Stay tuned for updates.

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About the author: S.H. Blannelberry is the News Editor of GunsAmerica.

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  • Kristopher Bernstein June 20, 2022, 12:45 pm

    Odd that they did not restrict law enforcement and military to ten rounds. And you can rest assured that security details for state officials will be packing “fully automatic, high capacity assault weapons” to protect
    their sorry asses. Que the picture of the “hardware locker” in Nancy Pelosie’s armored Cadillac Escalade, with her full time guards provided by the California Highway Petrol…
    A classic case of “do as we dictate, not as we do…”

  • Griffendad June 17, 2022, 9:55 am

    Brilliant. Now a good guy with a gun has 20 fewer rounds than a bad guy with the same gun.

  • Bscar June 17, 2022, 7:45 am

    The 18-21 year old purchase thing was already ruled unconstitutional by the 9th district courts. Guess it’ll be taken to other districts now.
    Leftists rule the same way a monkey throws poo at a wall. If the courts rule in their favor, the law stays, if not they wait for a little while and throw it out there again hoping it’ll stick this time

    • Mark N. June 17, 2022, 11:18 pm

      No one out here expects the panel decision to make it past a rehearing en banc. Currently, the en banc panels are batting 1.000 on reversals of favorable decisions. The only possible thing to save it will be a very strong and explicit decision in the Bruen case establishing a standard of review.

  • Robert June 15, 2022, 10:58 pm

    What a shock more liberal run states and cities violating the 2nd amendment.. apparently reading comprehension is not their strong suit. “ shall not be infringed “

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