AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY --THE RHODE ISLAND FIREARM INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2026 (Establishes the Rhode Island firearm industry accountability act of 2026.)

H7557

2026 -- H 7557
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LC004651
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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 HEALTH AND SAFETY --THE RHODE ISLAND FIREARM INDUSTRY
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2026

Introduced By:
Representatives Donovan, Boylan, Speakman, Carson, Tanzi, Potter,
Fogarty, Ajello, McGaw, and Casimiro

Date Introduced:
February 06, 2026

Referred To:
House Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Title 23 of the General Laws entitled "HEALTH AND SAFETY" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following chapter:
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CHAPTER 106
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THE RHODE ISLAND FIREARM INDUSTRY ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2026
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23-106-1. Definitions.
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As used in this chapter:
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(1) “Firearm accessory” means an attachment or device designed or adapted to be inserted
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into, affixed onto, or used in conjunction with a firearm that is designed, intended, or functions to
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alter or enhance the firing capabilities of a firearm, the lethality of the firearm, or a shooter's ability
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to hold and use a firearm.
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(2) "Firearm industry member" means a person, firm, corporation, company, partnership,
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society, joint stock company, trade association, or any other entity or association engaged in the
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manufacture, distribution, importation, marketing, wholesale or retail sale of firearm industry
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products.
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(3) "Firearm industry product" means any of the following which are or were:
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(i) Sold, made or distributed in this state;
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(ii) Intended to be sold or distributed in this state; or
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(iii) Possessed in this state, and it was reasonably foreseeable that such product would be

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possessed in this state:
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(A) Ammunition, as defined in § 11-47-64;
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(B) A detachable magazine, as defined in § 11-47.2-1;
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(C) A firearm, as defined in § 11-47-2;
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(D) A firearm component;
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(E) A firearm accessory;
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(F) A bump-fire device, binary trigger, trigger crank, as those terms are defined in § 11-
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47-2; or
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(G) Any other device that when attached to a semi-automatic weapon allows full-automatic
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fire including, but not limited to, those devices prohibited pursuant to § 11-47-8.
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(4) "Firearm trafficker" means an individual who engages in, conspires to engage in, or
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attempts to engage in conduct that constitutes trafficking in firearms as described in 18 USC § 933.
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(5) "Reasonable controls" means procedures, acts and practices that are designed,
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implemented and enforced to do all of the following:
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(i) Prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm industry product to a straw purchaser, a
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firearm trafficker, a person prohibited from possessing a firearm under state or federal law, or a
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person about whom there is reasonable cause to believe such person is at substantial risk of using
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a firearm industry product to harm themself or another or of possessing or using a firearm industry
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product unlawfully;
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(ii) Ensure that a firearm industry member complies with the provisions of: §§ 11-47-35,
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11-47-35.2, 11-47-37, 11-47-38, 11-47-39, 11-47-48.1, and 11-47-64;
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(iii) Prevent the sale or distribution of a firearm industry product designed, sold, advertised,
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marketed or promoted in a manner that foreseeably promotes conversion of a legal firearm industry
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product into an illegal firearm industry product; and
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(iv) Ensures that the firearm industry member complies with the provisions of § 23-106-2
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and all other applicable provisions of state and federal law, and does not otherwise advertise, market
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or promote the unlawful manufacture, sale, possession, marketing or use of a firearm industry
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product.
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(6) "Straw purchaser" means an individual who engages in or attempts to engage in conduct
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that violates the provisions of § 11-47-23 or 18 USC § 932.
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23-106-2. Controls, possession, and advertisements of firearm industry products.
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(a) A firearm industry member shall establish, implement and enforce reasonable controls
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to ensure compliance with the provisions of this chapter.
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(b) No firearm industry member shall provide a firearm industry product to another firearm

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industry member when there is reasonable cause to believe that such other firearm industry member
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is engaged in conduct that is in violation of this chapter.
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(c) No firearm industry member shall advertise, market or promote firearm industry
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products in this state in a manner that promotes unlawful sales, unlawful use or use that promotes
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risk to public safety.
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23-106-3. Penalties and violations.
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(a) An act or omission by a firearm industry member that fails to comply with any provision
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of § 23-106-2 constitutes a violation of said section and shall be actionable under this section.
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(b) A civil action in a court of competent jurisdiction to enforce this section or remedy
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harm caused by a violation of § 23-106-2 may be brought by:
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(1) A person who has suffered harm in this state because of a firearm industry member's
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violation of § 23-106-2;
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(2) The corporation counsel or other chief legal officer of a municipality in the name of the
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municipality; or
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(3) The attorney general, in the name and on behalf of the state.
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(c) Any person bringing an action pursuant to this chapter shall provide notice of such
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action to the attorney general not later than thirty (30) days after the date of filing such action.
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(d) In an action alleging that a firearm industry member failed to establish, implement and
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enforce reasonable controls in violation of the provisions of § 23-106-2, there shall be a rebuttable
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presumption that the firearm industry member failed to implement reasonable controls if:
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(1) The firearm industry member's act or omission created or increased a reasonably
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foreseeable risk of the harm alleged occurring; and
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(2) The firearm industry member could have established, implemented and enforced
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reasonable controls to prevent or lower the risk of the harm that allegedly occurred, but failed to
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do so.
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(e) If a court determines that a firearm industry member has violated any provision of § 23-
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106-2, the firearm industry member shall forfeit and pay to the state a civil penalty of not more
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than ten thousand dollars ($10,000) per violation.
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(f) If a court determines that a firearm industry member has violated any provision of § 23-
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106-2, the court may award any or all of the following:
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(1) Injunctive relief sufficient to prevent the firearm industry member and any other
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defendant from further violating the law;
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(2) Compensatory damages;
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(3) Punitive damages;

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(4) Restitution; and
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(5) Any other appropriate relief necessary to enforce the provisions referenced in this
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chapter to remedy the harm caused by the conduct.
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(g) In addition to the relief permitted under subsection (f) of this section, if a court
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determines that a firearm industry member has violated any provision of § 23-106-2:
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(1) The court shall award costs and attorneys’ fees to a prevailing plaintiff; and
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(2) The court may suspend or revoke any permits issued to the firearm industry member
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under § 11-47-39.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect on October 1, 2026, and shall be applicable to any
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civil action filed on or after October 1, 2026.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY --THE RHODE ISLAND FIREARM INDUSTRY
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT OF 2026
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This act would establish the Rhode Island firearm industry accountability act of 2026. The
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act imposes certain requirements on a firearms industry member pertaining to controls, possession,
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and advertisements of firearm industry products.
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This act would take effect on October 1, 2026, and would be applicable to any civil action
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filed on or after October 1, 2026.
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