Rhode Island’s Full Assault

The unending assault on the rights of law-abiding citizens continues, this time in the state of Rhode Island. Following other states like Virginia, legislators are stacking the docket with as many anti-gun bills as possible. It feels like they’ll just throw everything at the wall to see what sticks. Unfortunately, many of them do, leaving Americans disenfranchised. I’m sure that our Founding Fathers are rolling in their graves. It’s disgusting what is happening in so many states across the land.

There are seventeen different bills going before the House Judiciary Committee on Wed, April 8. It is undeniable that legislators in Rhode Island want a fully disarmed population. Nathanael Greene would be sickened to know what’s become of his birth state. A state once an active hotbed of rebellion against the Crown and the first colony to declare independence from Britain. That same state is now seeking to strip the Constitutional rights from its citizens.

Let’s take a moment to review some of these heinous bills starting with H 7035. Rhode Island seems to think it is within their right to limit the number of guns you can buy in a single month.

…no person shall purchase or take possession of more than one firearm in any thirty (30) day period. For purposes of this section, “firearm” means any “pistol”, “rifle” or “shotgun”…

You read that correctly. One gun per month. If this becomes law, you would face up to a year in prison and $500 fine for the first offense and up to three years and $3000 for subsequent offenses.

Of course, guns aren’t the only thing they’re after. If you want to buy ammunition for your one gun per month, get in line for a background check. That’s exactly what H 8071 wants to force upon gun owners. This bill not only attacks manufactured ammunition, though. No, it also includes components so if you are a reloader, you would need to have a background check to purchase powder, primers, etc.

Ok, so you purchased one gun per month, submitted to a background check for your ammo. You’re good to go, right? Not quite. As if these two bills alone aren’t enough, imagine being required to carry $1M in liability insurance as well. That’s the goal of H 8075.

Any individual who owns a firearm shall obtain and continuously maintain a policy of
liability insurance in an amount not less than one million dollars ($1,000,000) specifically covering any damages resulting from any negligent acts involving the use of such firearm while it is owned by such person. Failure to maintain such insurance shall result in the immediate revocation of such owner’s registration, license and any other privilege to own such firearm.

Did you catch that last part? The “privilege” to own such firearm. Not the Constitutional right. No, Rhode Island laughs in the face of our Constitution and says that it’s only a privilege to own firearms, not an inherent right.

As if there aren’t enough hoops to jump through with this sample of proposed legislation, they took it even further and decided that everyone has to complete a gun safety course with H 7755. There’s actually a bit of a double whammy here since they’ve also removed some verbiage.

The person selling the pistol or revolver firearm shall on the date of application sign
and forward by registered mail, by delivery in person, or by electronic mail if approved by the applicable police department, the original and duplicate copies of the application to the chief of police in the city or town in which the purchaser has their residence or to the superintendent of theRhode Island state police in the instance where the purchaser either resides in the town of Exeter or resides out of state…Upon notice from the investigating police authority that the applicant is not disqualified, the seller If, after the lapse of seven (7) days from twelve o’clock (12:00) noon of the day following application, no disqualifying information has been received from the investigating police authority by the person who is selling the pistol or
revolver, the person will deliver the firearm applied for to the purchaser.

Note that they struck the standard 7-day waiting period (which is ridiculous as it is) and changed it to be whenever the police get around to informing the seller that the buyer isn’t a prohibited person. There doesn’t seem to be a limit so they can take their time getting back to you so the sale can be completed.

The attacks don’t stop there. It isn’t enough to remove/restrict the rights of its citizens. No, Rhode Island has decided that they don’t care about non-residents’ rights, either. H 7754 has conveniently struck the recognition of out-of-state concealed carry permits from their legislation.

The licensing authorities of any city or town shall, upon application of any person
twenty-one (21) years of age or over having a bona fide residence or place of business within the city or town, or of any person twenty-one (21) years of age or over having a bona fide residence within the United States and a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver concealed upon his or her person issued by the authorities of any other state or subdivision of the United States, issue a license or permit to the person to carry concealed upon his or her person

I encourage all of you in Rhode Island to take time to read the bills scheduled for review and, more importantly, to let your elected officials know that you object to these blatant attacks on your rights.