H 7035Criminal Justice

Criminal Offenses - Weapons

This bill limits individuals to purchasing or possessing only one firearm every thirty days, with exceptions for police and collectors.

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Introduced Jan 9, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation prohibits individuals from purchasing or taking possession of more than one firearm (defined as a pistol, rifle, or shotgun) within any thirty-day period. The bill outlines several exceptions, including federally licensed dealers, law enforcement agencies, private security companies, and collectors of curios or relics. It also allows for transfers related to court orders or inheritance. Violations are classified as a misdemeanor for a first offense, punishable by up to one year in prison or a fine, while subsequent offenses are felonies punishable by up to three years in prison.

For younger readers

This proposed law creates a new rule for buying guns. It says that a person is only allowed to buy or get one gun every thirty days (about one month). It would prevent someone from buying a lot of guns all at once. There are special exceptions for police officers, security guards, and antique collectors, who are still allowed to get the equipment they need. If someone breaks this rule, they could get in trouble with the police, have to pay money as a punishment, or go to jail.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups

Gun buyersGun dealersLaw enforcementSecurity companiesGun collectors

Impacted communities

All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

There is a potential constitutional risk regarding the Second Amendment. While courts have historically allowed commercial regulations on firearms, opponents may argue that rationing the frequency of purchases infringes upon the fundamental right to keep and bear arms, particularly under the "text, history, and tradition" standard established in recent Supreme Court rulings like Bruen. However, prohibitions on bulk purchasing have survived scrutiny in other jurisdictions as commercial regulations.

Estimated cost

Amount unknown

Estimated revenue

Amount unknown

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints

For Progressives

Reduces the ability for individuals to engage in straw purchasing, where one person buys multiple guns to sell illegally, thereby potentially lowering community violence.
Limits the accumulation of private arsenals by restricting the speed at which individuals can stockpile weapons, potentially enhancing public safety.
Creates a functional waiting period for subsequent purchases, which may deter impulsive acts of violence or self-harm by slowing down the acquisition of multiple firearms.
Expands the carceral state by creating new criminal offenses and potential prison terms, which historically disproportionately impact marginalized communities and people of color.
Imposes financial penalties that act as regressive punishments, burdening low-income individuals more heavily than wealthy offenders who can easily afford the fines.
Focuses on supply-side restrictions rather than addressing the root causes of violence, such as poverty, lack of education, and insufficient mental health resources.

For Conservatives

Includes specific exemptions for federally licensed firearm dealers and private security companies, ensuring that legitimate business operations and commerce are not hindered by the restriction.
Protects the rights of collectors by exempting transfers of weapons defined as curios or relics, acknowledging the value of historical preservation.
Maintains strong exceptions for law enforcement and government entities, ensuring that the state's capacity to maintain order and security is not compromised.
Infringes upon Second Amendment rights by placing an arbitrary government ration on the number of firearms a law-abiding citizen can purchase or possess within a specific timeframe.
Penalizes law-abiding gun owners and collectors with potential felony charges for peaceful conduct, while failing to deter criminals who already obtain weapons illegally.
Represents a significant expansion of government overreach into private commerce and personal property rights by dictating the frequency of legal purchases.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 18 additions

SECTION 1. Chapter 11-47 of the General Laws entitled "Weapons" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following section: 11-47-65. Multiple firearm purchases prohibited.

(a) Except as provided pursuant to subsection (b) of this section, 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" as defined in § 11-47-2.

(b) The provisions of subsection (a) of this section shall not apply to federally licensed firearm dealers; governmental entities; any issuance of weapons by a governmental entity to officers, agents or personnel of the governmental entity; law enforcement officers exempt pursuant to the provisions of §§ 11-47-9 and 11-47-9.1; licensed private security companies for use by registered armed security guards; any transfer pursuant to a court order; an estate representative or heir in accordance with an authorization issued or ordered by a probate court; a temporary rental or use of a firearm at a licensed shooting range or club; a participant in a training, firearm safety or shooting course of instruction during the period of instruction; or a transfer of a weapon defined as a curio or relic pursuant to 27 C.F.R. § 478.11 to a licensed curio or relic collector.

(c) Any person violating the provisions of subsection (a) of this section upon conviction for a first offense shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and may be sentenced to a term of imprisonment of not more than one year or fined five hundred dollars ($500), or both. Any person convicted of a second or subsequent offense shall be guilty of a felony offense and may be sentenced to a period of confinement not to exceed three (3) years or fined three thousand dollars ($3,000), or both.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.