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H8069APublic Health

Criminal Offenses - Weapons

This bill requires shooting ranges to post suicide prevention signs and mandates supervision for non-members at membership-based ranges.

Introduced72 Yea0 Nay3 Not voting
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Feb 27, 2026Committee House Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This bill requires all shooting ranges to display a specific warning sign regarding suicide awareness and prevention. The sign must include contact information for the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline and be written in both English and Spanish. It must be posted in areas where shooting happens and meet specific size and font requirements. Additionally, the bill mandates that any shooting range operating on a membership basis must require non-members to be accompanied by a member or a staff person at all times while on the premises and engaging in shooting activity.

For younger readers

This bill makes a new rule for places where people go to practice shooting guns, which are called shooting ranges. First, these places must put up signs that tell people how to get help if they are feeling very sad or upset. The sign gives a phone number to call for help. Second, if the shooting range is a club where people have to be members to join, anyone visiting who isn't a member must have a club member or a worker stay with them the whole time they are there.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Shooting range ownersShooting range membersNon-member shooting range guestsIndividuals experiencing mental health crisesShooting range staff
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

There is a minor First Amendment risk regarding compelled speech, as the government is mandating private businesses display a specific message and explicitly restricting them from adding other text to the sign. However, commercial disclosure requirements and health/safety warnings are generally upheld under the Zauderer standard if they are purely factual and uncontroversial. Thus, while a challenge is possible, it is likely constitutional.

Estimated cost
Shooting Ranges: Amount unknown
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Promotes mental health awareness and provides immediate access to crisis resources in environments where firearms are present, potentially reducing suicide rates.
  • Requires the crisis information to be printed in both English and Spanish, ensuring the safety net reaches a more diverse, non-English-speaking population.
  • Increases safety and accountability at private clubs by mandating that non-members are constantly supervised, helping prevent unsupervised access to firearms by potentially vulnerable individuals.
  • Relies heavily on a passive signage approach rather than funding active mental health interventions or implementing stricter background checks and waiting periods for range access.
  • Does not include any specific penalties, enforcement mechanisms, or oversight bodies to ensure shooting ranges actually comply with the signage or supervision requirements.
  • Fails to address public shooting ranges regarding the supervision of inexperienced or potentially in-crisis individuals, as the accompaniment rule only applies to membership-based ranges.
For Conservatives
  • Addresses the issue of firearm-related suicides through awareness and mental health resources rather than imposing new restrictions on gun ownership or purchasing rights.
  • Allows private shooting clubs to maintain their operations without heavy-handed government interference, utilizing their own members and staff to supervise guests instead of requiring state monitors.
  • The signage requirements are clear, standardized, and inexpensive to produce, minimizing the financial and regulatory burden on shooting range businesses.
  • Imposes a government mandate on private businesses and private property by dictating exactly what signs must be displayed, their size, font, and specific wording.
  • Restricts the freedom of private, membership-based shooting ranges to set their own internal guest policies by legally requiring constant supervision of non-members.
  • Limits free speech and property rights by explicitly forbidding the ranges from placing any other text on the mandated suicide awareness signs.

Votes

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Full Bill Text

2 versions
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: 11-47-60.5. Suicide awareness at shooting ranges.

(a) For purposes of this section:

(1) “Firearm” shall have the same definition as provided in § 11-55-1; and

(2) “Shooting range” means a rifle, pistol, silhouette, skeet, trap, black powder, or other similar range designed and operated for the use of firearms on site, including any range located on public or private land or operated by a public or private entity.

(b) Every shooting range shall conspicuously display a sign containing the information set forth is subsection (c) of this section, in any areas where shooting activity occurs. The required signs shall be posted in a manner in order that they can be easily viewed by people utilizing the shooting range and shall not be removed, obscured or rendered illegible.

(c) Each sign shall be at least eight and one-half inches (8.5”) high by eleven inches (11”) wide and feature black text against a white background and letters that are in at least thirty-six (36) point font. The signs shall contain the following text, in English and Spanish: “WARNING: If you or a loved one is experiencing distress and/or depression, call the 988 Suicide and Crisis hotline or text “HOME” to 741741”. The signs shall not contain any other text.

(d) A shooting range that operates on a membership basis shall require any person who is not a member of the shooting range, to be accompanied at all times by a member of the range or staff member of the range while on the premises and while engaging in shooting activity.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.