AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Amends the heading of § 11-47-60.1 to include the words "Dillon's Law.")

H7145

2026 -- H 7145
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LC003365
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

Introduced By:
Representatives Fellela, Messier, Caldwell, Craven, and Kazarian

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 11-47-60.1 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons"
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is hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-47-60.1.
Safe storage — Unsafe storage of a firearm.
Safe storage – Unsafe storage
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of a firearm – Dillon's Law.
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(a) Nothing in this section shall be construed to reduce or limit any existing right to
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purchase and own firearms and/or ammunition or to provide authority to any state or local agency
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to infringe upon the privacy of any family, home or business except by lawful warrant.
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(b) A person who stores or leaves a firearm in any place is guilty of the violation of unsafe
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storage of a firearm unless the firearm is secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-
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resistant mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged in order to render such firearm
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inoperable by any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user. This section does
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not apply to a firearm that is being carried by or can be readily carried by a lawfully authorized
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user who is in proximity to the firearm. Any violation of this subsection shall result in, for a first
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offense, a civil infraction punishable by a fine of not more than two hundred fifty dollars ($250),
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and for a second offense, a civil infraction punishable by a fine of not more than one thousand
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dollars ($1,000). A third or subsequent violation of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be
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punished by imprisonment for no more than six (6) months, or a fine of not more than five hundred
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dollars ($500), or both.
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(c) A person who stores or leaves on premises under their control a firearm and who knows

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or reasonably should know that a child is likely to gain access to the firearm without the permission
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of the child’s parent or guardian, or who knows or reasonably should know that a person who is
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prohibited, under state or federal law, from purchasing or possessing firearms is likely to gain
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access to the firearm, is guilty of criminal storage of a firearm in the second degree if a child or
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person who is prohibited, under state or federal law, from purchasing or possessing firearms obtains
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access to the firearm. Any person who violates this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by
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imprisonment for no more than one year, or be fined not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000)
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or both. For purposes of this section, a “child” is defined as any person who has not attained the
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age of eighteen (18) years.
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(d) A person is guilty of criminal storage of a firearm in the first degree if they commit the
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crime of criminal storage in the second degree and the firearm obtained by a child or a person who
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is prohibited, under state or federal law, from purchasing or possessing firearms is used by said
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person in the commission of a crime or to cause injury to himself or herself or any other person.
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Any violation of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be punishable by imprisonment for not
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more than five (5) years, or a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
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(e) The provisions of subsections (c) and (d) of this section shall not apply whenever any
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of the following occurs:
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(1) The child or person who is prohibited, under state or federal law, from purchasing or
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possessing firearms obtains the firearm as a result of an illegal entry of any premises by any person
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or an illegal taking of the firearm from the premises of the owner without permission of the owner;
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(2) The firearm is secured in a locked container or equipped with a tamper-resistant
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mechanical lock or other safety device, properly engaged in order to render such firearm inoperable
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by any person other than the owner or other lawfully authorized user;
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(3) The firearm is being carried by or can be readily carried by a lawfully authorized user
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who is in proximity to the firearm; or
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(4) [Deleted by P.L. 2024, ch. 107, § 1 and P.L. 2024, ch. 108, § 1.]
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(5) The child or person who is prohibited, under state or federal law, from purchasing or
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possessing firearms obtains or obtains and discharges the firearm in a lawful act of self-defense or
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defense of another person.
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(6) [Deleted by P.L. 2024, ch. 107, § 1 and P.L. 2024, ch. 108, § 1.]
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(f)(1) If the person who allegedly violated this section is the parent or guardian of a child
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who is injured or who dies as the result of an accidental shooting, the attorney general shall consider
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among other factors, the impact of the injury or death on the person who has allegedly violated this
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section when deciding whether to prosecute an alleged violation.

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(2) It is the intent of the general assembly that a parent or guardian of a child who is injured
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or who dies of an accidental shooting shall be prosecuted only in those instances in which the parent
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or guardian behaved in a grossly negligent manner.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS
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This act would amend the heading of § 11-47-60.1 to include the words "Dillon's Law."
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003365
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