Bills introduced banning assault weapons, high-capacity magazines
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PROVIDENCE (WLNE)- Bills seeking to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines were introduced to the Rhode Island General Assembly Wednesday.
Rep. Justine Caldwell, with Sens. Gayle Goldwin and Joshua Miller, issued a statement declaring “such weapons have no legitimate purpose and they endanger the public by enabling shooters to swiftly commit mass murder.”
“The Second Amendment does not protect our right to fire 100 rounds without reloading, or to shoot 26 people in 32 seconds,” said Caldwell, who sponsored both bills in the House. “These laws pass legal muster and are a legal necessity.”
The assault weapons bill would bar the sale and possession of assault weapons with exceptions for law enforcement and military. Current owners would be allowed to keep their guns after passing a background check.
Under the high-capacity magazine bill, any ammunition-feeding device capable of accepting more than 10 rounds would be forbidden from being sold or possessed within the state.
“Currently, Rhode Island law limits hunters to three bullets for duck hunting and five for deer hunting, but there is no limit for the number of bullets in weapons commonly used for mass shootings,” read a statement issued by the three legislators.
Miller has sponsored the assault rifle ban in the Senate, with 21 cosponsors, while Goldin introduced the magazine ban, with 20 cosponsors.
Similar legislation has been introduced by the legislators in past sessions, according to the statement.
©WLNE-TV/ABC 6 2020
