Rhode Island’s Democrat-controlled legislature passed a bill Friday banning the in-state sale and manufacture of so-called “assault weapons.” The legislation now awaits the signature of Gov. Dan McKee (D), who signaled strong support for the measure following its passage.
According to the Associated Press, the bill does not prohibit possession of currently owned firearms but restricts future sales and production. State Rep. Rebecca Kislak (D) defended the measure as a step to align Rhode Island with other Northeastern states that have passed similar restrictions. “It’s an incremental move that brings Rhode Island in line with neighboring states,” she said.
Governor McKee praised the legislature’s action in a social media post, stating, “I’m proud that Rhode Island took an important step forward in protecting our communities from gun violence. I included an assault weapons ban in my budget for this very reason — and as a result, tonight we saw progress.”
He added, “I thank the General Assembly and the many advocates for their tireless work, and I hope they’ll join me when I sign this bill into law. As Governor, I’m committed to working with our partners on common sense gun safety measures to keep our communities safe.”
Not all lawmakers supported the bill. House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale (R) voiced strong opposition and predicted the law will not survive legal scrutiny. “I felt and I still feel that we have a bill that is unconstitutional,” Chippendale said. “It will be challenged in court, it will be overturned, but the people of Rhode Island will continue to pay for these kinds of cases to be litigated.”
The ban adds Rhode Island to a growing list of Democrat-led states enacting firearm restrictions likely to face legal challenges under the Second Amendment.
