Skip to main content
S 3110Violent Crime Penalties

Criminal Offenses - Weapons

The bill makes it illegal for minors to possess a firearm, even if not using it, unless supervised.

Held for study
Population
Affected
15
Email Legislator
Introduced Mar 13, 2026Committee Senate Judiciary

Plain-English Summary

This legislation amends Rhode Island's weapons laws regarding minors. Specifically, it removes the phrase "and use" from the current statute, making it unlawful for any person under eighteen to simply possess a firearm, regardless of whether they are using it at the time. The bill maintains existing exceptions for minors who are supervised by a parent or guardian while hunting, target shooting, or participating in ROTC. It also adds a definition for a "qualified adult" for supervision purposes, requiring them to be at least twenty-one years old and legally permitted to possess a firearm.

For younger readers

There are strict rules about children and guns. This bill changes the law to make it very clear that a person under eighteen cannot have a gun in their possession at all, even if they aren't shooting it. Before, the law said they couldn't "possess and use" it, which was a bit confusing. Now, simply having it is not allowed unless they are with a parent or a responsible adult for safe activities like hunting or target practice. It also says the adult watching them must be at least twenty-one years old.

Who & Where It Applies

Impacted groups
Minors (Under 18)Parents and GuardiansGun OwnersLaw EnforcementHunters and Sports Shooters
Impacted communities
All

Constitutional & Fiscal Check

None Likely

Estimated cost
None
Estimated revenue
None

Bill Analysis

Both viewpoints
For Progressives
  • Closes a legal loophole by removing the "and use" requirement, allowing law enforcement to intervene when a minor is merely in possession of a firearm, thereby potentially preventing gun violence before it happens.
  • Strengthens community safety standards by ensuring that firearms in the hands of minors are strictly regulated and always subject to adult supervision.
  • Clarifies the definition of a "qualified adult" to ensure that those supervising minors with firearms are of legal age and legally permitted to possess weapons themselves, promoting responsible oversight.
  • Expands the scope of criminal liability for minors, which could lead to an increase in youth involvement with the juvenile justice system for non-violent possession offenses.
  • Does not address the root causes of why minors might seek to possess firearms, such as poverty or lack of community resources, focusing instead on penalization.
  • Risk of disproportionate enforcement against minority youth, who are statistically more likely to be stopped and searched by law enforcement for possession offenses.
For Conservatives
  • Preserves the rights of families to teach traditional activities by maintaining exceptions for lawful hunting, competitive shooting, and ROTC under parental or guardian supervision.
  • Clarifies the law to ensure that the "qualified adult" supervising a minor is a law-abiding citizen over the age of twenty-one, supporting the concept of responsible gun ownership.
  • Strengthens the rule of law by removing ambiguous language ("and use") that could allow offenders to escape consequences based on technicalities.
  • Expands government restriction on firearm possession, potentially infringing on the rights of minors to possess firearms for self-defense in their own homes if a parent is not immediately "present."
  • Removes the distinction between "using" a firearm and "possessing" one, potentially criminalizing benign behaviors where a minor might simply be holding a firearm without intent to fire.
  • Represents an incremental increase in gun control regulations, which is often viewed as a slippery slope toward broader disarmament or restriction of Second Amendment rights.

Votes

Loading votes...

Full Bill Text

Changes to existing Rhode Island law · 1 addition · 1 deletion

It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

SECTION 1. Section 11-47-33 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" is hereby amended to read as follows: 11-47-33. Possession of firearms by minors.

(a) It shall be unlawful within this state for any person under eighteen (18) years of age to possess and use any firearm unless the person is in the presence of a parent or guardian or supervising adult at any regular and recognized camp or rifle range approved by the Rhode Island state police or by the chief of police of the city or town in which the camp or rifle range is located; provided, that this provision shall not apply to minors engaged in lawful hunting activity under the supervision of a parent or guardian or qualified adult, minors participating in Reserve Officer Training Corps programs, ceremonial parade activities, competitive and target shooting, participants in state militia activities and minors participating in a basic firearms education program; provided, further, that a person under eighteen (18) years of age may carry a firearm, unloaded, in a suitable case to and from his or her home and the camp or range and from the camp or range to other camp or range when accompanied by a parent, guardian, or supervising adult.

(b) For purposes of this section only, “qualified adult” means any person twenty-one (21) years of age or older and permitted by law to possess and use the firearm.

SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.