The Rhode Island House of Representatives voted 43-28 Thursday to pass a bill banning the sale and possession of certain assault weapons, advancing one of the most hotly debated gun control measures in U.S. history. The legislation now heads to the Senate.
Sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight (D-Barrington, Warren), the bill would outlaw specific semi-automatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns starting July 1, 2026. Exemptions would apply to law enforcement, military personnel, federally licensed dealers, and those who legally possess the firearms prior to the ban’s effective date.
“Assault weapons are the tool of choice for mass shooters,” said Knight. “Their purpose is to maximize carnage. We don’t need them in Rhode Island.”
A voluntary certificate program would allow grandfathered owners to obtain proof from local police that their firearm is legal. However, police would be prohibited from retaining records, easing fears of a de facto registry. Grandfathered weapons could only be possessed at home, businesses, gun ranges, or during transport to licensed events or dealers.
The vote drew immediate condemnation from the Rhode Island Republican Party. Chairman Joe Powers called the legislation “a blatant attack on the Constitution and an alarming escalation in the erosion of individual liberties.”
“This isn’t about guns—it’s about rights,” Powers said. “They’re hoping you won’t notice your rights being stripped away, one inch at a time.”
Powers warned that such laws pave the way for broader government control, citing Venezuela, Cuba, and the former Soviet Union. “History shows what happens when governments disarm their people,” he said. “Dissent disappears. People disappear.”
He urged Rhode Islanders to take a stand. “Today it’s your firearms. Tomorrow it’ll be your speech, your faith, and your property. This is a fight for the soul of our state.”
The bill, backed by all five general officers and 40 House cosponsors, is the final major recommendation from a gun safety panel formed after the 2018 Parkland school shooting. Rhode Island has already enacted measures banning bump stocks, large-capacity magazines, and unsecured firearms.
If the Senate approves the measure and Gover Dan McKee signs the legislation, Rhode Island will become the 11th state to implement an assault weapons ban.
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