2025 Legislation
Status
These are the bills introduced as of March 20th. The House hearing is on Wednesday, March 26th, and the Senate hearing has not yet been announced.
"Cheat Sheets"
These are a quick list of the bills introduced this year with Para Bellum Provisions’ recommendations on what to support and what to reject. This is only our recommentations, and not any sort of directive that you need to follow. Below these cheat sheets we are including the full list of bills with their short description and a link to the actual text of the bill. If you are unsure of what any bills are, reading the full text should help you clarify that. If you have any other questions after reading this, we can be reached using the “Contact Us” button at the bottom of this page.
House Bills
| House Bill No. 5436 (Governor/Secretary of State/General Treasurer/Attorney General/Lieutenant Governor) |
| BY Knight, Caldwell, Boylan, Speakman, McEntee, Ajello, Kazarian, Craven, Dawson, Felix |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — RHODE ISLAND ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN ACT OF 2025 {LC1181/1} (Establishes the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025.) |
| 02/12/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5443 |
| BY Boylan, Ajello, Knight, McEntee, Craven, Caldwell, Dawson, Batista, Cruz, Felix |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — SUICIDE PREVENTION–VOLUNTARY FIREARM RESTRICTIONS ACT {LC1478/1} (Creates process for individual to voluntarily be either temporarily or indefinitely added to a list restricting their rights to purchase or possess firearms.) |
| 02/12/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5651 |
| BY McEntee, Fogarty, Caldwell, Spears, Boylan, Carson, Tanzi, Dawson, Knight |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO DELINQUENT AND DEPENDENT CHILDREN — PROCEEDINGS IN FAMILY COURT — JUVENILE RECORDS {LC1834/1} (Allows access to juvenile criminal records in order to conduct firearm background checks.) |
| 02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5652 |
| BY Boylan, Tanzi, Knight, Dawson, Craven, Batista, Felix, Caldwell, Ajello, McEntee |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC1508/1} (Precludes a person who pled nolo contendere or convicted of a misdemeanor offense and sentenced in accordance with the hate crime sentencing enhancement act for such misdemeanor, from purchasing, owning, carrying, transporting or having possession firearm) |
| 02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5653 |
| BY Corvese |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC1908/1} (Prohibits the licensing authority from imposing additional or stricter requirements than the department of attorney general as well as prohibiting said licensing authorities from imposing any fees, other than the fee required in § 11-47-12.) |
| 02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5654 |
| BY Fogarty, McEntee, Spears, Boylan, Carson, Donovan, Tanzi, Dawson, Kislak, Knight |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC1835/1} (Prohibits local licensing authorities from issuing a concealed carry permit to out of state residents based on permits issued by authorities from other states or subdivisions.) |
| 02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5666 |
| BY O’Brien |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS {LC1731/1} (Mandates arming campus police at public higher educational institutions and includes campus police in the definition of “law enforcement officer” for the purposes of the “Law Enforcement Officers’ Bill of Rights.”) |
| 02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5667 |
| BY O’Brien |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO EDUCATION — MAINTENANCE OF ORDER ON CAMPUS {LC1843/1} (Requires that all campus police officers be equipped with ballistic body armor.) |
| 02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5889 (Attorney General) |
| BY Craven |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL PROCEDURE — EXPUNGEMENT OF CRIMINAL RECORDS {LC2195/1} (Allows a law enforcement agency to consider expunged records when issuing a license or permit to carry a pistol or revolver.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5890 (Attorney General) |
| BY Boylan, Knight, Caldwell, Dawson, Tanzi, Fogarty, Furtado, Kislak, Noret, Hull |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC2193/1} (Specifies that it is unlawful for any person under the age of eighteen (18) to possess a firearm.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5891 (Attorney General) |
| BY Ajello, Donovan, Knight |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC2194/1} (Disqualifies individuals with prior felony convictions from purchasing or possessing a firearm.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5933 |
| BY Lima, Casey, J. Brien, Place, Corvese, Serpa, Bennett, Edwards |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC1887/1} (Provides that any person eighteen (18) years of age who is issued a license or permit may carry a stun gun.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5934 |
| BY Casey, Lima, Phillips, Solomon, Noret, Costantino, Chippendale, Place, Corvese, Roberts |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC2088/1} (Provides that any person eighteen (18) years of age who is issued a license or permit may carry a stun gun.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5935 |
| BY Fascia, Place, Chippendale, Paplauskas, Quattrocchi, Santucci, Casey |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS — CONCEALED CARRY REFORM {LC1311/1} (Expands firearm rights to recognize out of state carry permits, authorizes weapons carried during emergency evacuation and establishes an appeal process for permit denied.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 5936 |
| BY Noret, Place, Corvese, Chippendale, Dawson, Phillips, Bennett, J. Brien, Casey, Read |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC1750/1} (Provides the review and appeal process for individuals applying for a permit or license to carry a handgun with the licensing authority or attorney general.) |
| 02/28/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
| House Bill No. 6042 |
| BY Hull, Casey |
| ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS {LC2305/1} (Exempts certain U.S. employees from having to obtain state licenses to carry a visible or concealed pistol or revolver.) |
| 03/07/2025 Introduced, referred to House Judiciary 03/12/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration |
Senate Bills
Senate Bill No. 59
BY Tikoian, Lawson, Britto, Gallo, LaMountain, Gu, Bissaillon, Felag, Dimitri, Burke
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Defines “crime gun” and requires law enforcement to submit crime gun or 2 fired cartridge cases or shell casings seized to state crime laboratory or the BATF for testing and tracing, also would require 2 test-fired cartridge cases to be entered into NIBIN)
01/23/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
02/07/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/11/2025)
02/11/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Senate Bill No. 65
BY de la Cruz, LaMountain, Ciccone, Burke, Rogers, Paolino, Morgan
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Provides the review and appeal process for individuals applying for a permit or license to carry a handgun with the licensing authority or attorney general.)
01/23/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
02/07/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/11/2025)
02/11/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Senate Bill No. 131
BY Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Morgan, Raptakis
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Defines suitable person and establishes reasons for applying for carry permit, establishes what information is required on applications, establishes appeal process if application denied and provides that records are not public.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 137
BY Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Morgan, Raptakis
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Defines suitable person, establishes reasons for applying for concealed carry permit, establishes what information is required on applications, establishes appeal process for denials, provides that records are not public permits hunting with suppressor.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 138
BY Raptakis, Thompson, Dimitri, Appollonio, Paolino, Burke, de la Cruz, Tikoian, Sosnowski, Felag
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Increases sentences for carrying a stolen firearm when committing a crime of violence and for possessing a stolen firearm. Requires that a person convicted of these offenses serve a period of time in which they would not be eligible for parole/ probation.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 142
BY Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Morgan, Raptakis
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Permits Rhode Island residents, 21 years of age or older, to carry a concealed handgun, without a permit.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 144
BY Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Morgan, Raptakis
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Permits possession or use of device that muffles sound on any firearm longer than 17” in length and permits the use of such a device by any person while hunting provided that they have a valid hunting license.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 146
BY Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Morgan, Raptakis
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Allows reciprocal concealed carry permits from out of state to be valid in Rhode Island, which is either authorized by the attorney general or subject to other reciprocal restrictions.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 150
BY Rogers, de la Cruz, Paolino, Raptakis
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Prohibits the sale or possession of firearm silencers unless the person complies with federal law in the sale, possession and use.)
01/31/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 280
BY Rogers, Dimitri, Tikoian, LaMountain, de la Cruz, Appollonio, Morgan, Paolino
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Replaces state marshals with capitol police as to those law enforcement officers being exempt from certain firearm restrictions.)
02/13/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
02/21/2025 Scheduled for hearing and/or consideration (02/25/2025)
02/25/2025 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
Senate Bill No. 286
BY McKenney, DiPalma, Sosnowski, LaMountain, Bissaillon
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Prohibits purchases of more than one firearm in any thirty (30) day period.)
02/13/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 359
(Governor)
BY DiPalma, Lawson, Gallo, Sosnowski, LaMountain, Felag, Murray, Vargas, McKenney, Lauria
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — RHODE ISLAND ASSAULT WEAPONS BAN ACT OF 2025 (Establishes the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025.)
02/21/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 530
BY McKenney, Gu, Murray, Sosnowski
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Precludes a person who pled nolo contendere or convicted of a misdemeanor offense and sentenced in accordance with the hate crime sentencing enhancement act for such misdemeanor, from purchasing, owning, carrying, transporting or having possession firearm)
02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 552
BY DiPalma, Tikoian, Dimitri, Appollonio, LaMountain
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATED TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — DISARMING A PEACE OFFICER (Makes it a felony for any person to remove or attempt to remove any firearm or other weapon or any communication device from any peace officer or investigator of the department of attorney general.)
02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 566
BY de la Cruz, Rogers, Ciccone, Burke, Dimitri, Thompson
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE — PROCEDURE GENERALLY — CAUSES OF ACTION (Provides for a cause of action against an individual or entity that prohibits the possession of firearms on real property, except residences, by an individual that is authorized and licensed to carry a firearm.)
02/26/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 727
BY Raptakis, de la Cruz, Paolino, Thompson, Morgan, McKenney, Patalano, Rogers, Dimitri
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — LARGE CAPACITY FEEDING DEVICE BAN OF 2022 (Makes a first offense of possessing a large capacity feeding device a misdemeanor and subsequent offenses felonies.)
03/07/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 734
BY Ciccone, Tikoian, Rogers, de la Cruz, Patalano
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — ASSAULT WEAPONS (Prohibits sale and possession of assault weapons, as defined and would provide certain exemptions to include law enforcement officers and those individuals legally in possession of any such firearm at the time of passage of this act.)
03/07/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 740
BY Valverde, Lauria, Lawson, DiMario, Ujifusa, Murray
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY — SUICIDE PREVENTION–VOLUNTARY FIREARM RESTRICTIONS ACT (Creates process for individual to voluntarily be either temporarily or indefinitely added to a list restricting their rights to purchase or possess firearms.)
03/07/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary
Senate Bill No. 853
BY Ciccone, Dimitri, Tikoian, Burke
ENTITLED, AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES — WEAPONS (Prohibits any city or town from requiring an applicant for license to carry concealed firearm to provide a reason for their request other than those outlined in § 11-47-1.)
03/19/2025 Introduced, referred to Senate Judiciary