House approves safe storage bill, other gun safety measures

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — It was a busy day for the Rhode Island House of Representatives, as legislators approved several gun safety measures heading to the Senate.

The most notable piece of legislation passed was a bill requiring safe storage of firearms, ensuring all guns be stored in a locked container or equipped to render them inoperable when not in use.

“Leaving a lethal weapon where anyone else can use it is an invitation to tragedy,” Rep. Justine Caldwell said in a statement. “Ensuring that all weapons are stored in a way that keeps them out of the hands that shouldn’t touch them protects not only the public in general, but gun owners and their families in particular.”

The Rhode Island General Assembly said, under the legislation, unsafe storage of a firearm would be a civil offense punishable by a fine of up to $250 for a first offense and $1,000 for a second.

Meanwhile, the House also approved a bill to prevent young people with violent criminal backgrounds from purchasing guns.

The legislation would make juvenile criminal history records available to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, used to determine eligibility for firearms purchases in Rhode Island on those younger than 21.

“Many of the individuals who were responsible for mass shootings are young people who have recently purchased the weapons they used,” Rep. Jason Knight said in a statement. “Ensuring that the database has all disqualifying criminal background is essential to keeping prohibited individuals from being able to legally purchase lethal weapons.”

Additionally, representatives passed a bill to help law enforcement solve gun crimes by taking advantage of a national ballistics analysis database.

The General Assembly said the legislation would require police to provide test-fired casings to the State Crime Lab or a qualified law enforcement agency for ballistics examination whenever they suspect that a gun has been used in a crime.

“It would be unthinkable for law enforcement to arrest a person suspected of committing a violent crime and not take their fingerprints,” said Rep. Jennifer Boylan said in a statement. “The National Integrated Ballistic Information Network is the ballistic evidence equivalent, and it must be used universally to get the maximum benefit for our police officers to connect and solve crimes.”

All three bills head to the Senate, where they must pass in order to head to the Governor’s Office for their final jurisdiction.