The LWVRI upholds the LWVUS Statement of Position on Gun Policy as adopted by 1990 Convention and amended by the 1994 and 1998 Conventions:.
(For Complete position: Impact on Issues, pg. 153)
The League of Women Voters of the United States believes that the proliferation of handguns and semiautomatic assault weapons in the United States is a major health and safety threat to its citizens. The League supports strong federal measures to limit the accessibility and regulate the ownership of these weapons by private citizens. The League supports regulating firearms for consumer safety.
The League supports licensing procedures for gun ownership by private citizens to include a waiting period for background checks, personal identity verification, gun safety education, and annual license renewal. The license fee should be adequate to bear the cost of education and verification.
The League supports a ban on "Saturday night specials," enforcement of strict penalties for the improper possession of and crimes committed with handguns and assault weapons, and allocation of resources to better regulate and monitor gun dealers.
The LWVRI is a coalition partner with the RI Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV), and liaisons with RICAGV and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense through its Advocacy Committee to advocate for priority gun legislation in RI. List of current RICAGV members
Understanding the Supreme Court's Gun Control Decision in NYSRPA v. Bruen LWVUS Blog
CURRENT STATUS
2024 - The LWVRI is a coalition partner of the RI Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV), and along with RICAGV and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense supports two priority bills: H7373 / S2202 (Safe Storage) and H7217 / S2653 (Assault Weapons Ban).
LWVRI supported priority gun safety bills H 5434 / S 321 — legislation which would require secure storage of all firearms; and H 5300 / S 379 — legislation which would prohibit the manufacture, sale and possession of assault weapons in the state while providing current owners a pathway to keep them. Despite support from all 5 RI State General Officers for these bills from day one, majority support of gun safety laws by the public, and tireless advocacy by gun violence prevention groups, no gun safety bills were brought to the floor of the RI House or Senate for a vote in 2023.
Needless to say we are extremely frustrated that the General Assembly and its leaders chose not to make gun safety a priority issue. The RI Coalition Against Gun Violence and Moms Demand Action RI are determined to continue advocacy efforts for these two bills in 2024. Thank you to members of the LWVRI Team for all they have done to promote this legislation. I hope you will all continue to be members of this team as we continue to demand common sense gun laws.
Legislation - Previous Years
Two bills passed in 2021: S73/H555 Keeping guns out of K-12 schools (the Harold M. Metts School Safety Act of 2021) and S416/H5386 Cracking down on straw buyers.
Three bills passed in 2022: H6614/S2653 High capacity magazine ban, H7358/S2825 Open carry ban, H7457/S2637 Raising age of gun/ammo purchase
