AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Disqualifies individuals with prior felony convictions or nolo contendere pleas from purchasing or possessing a firearm. It also prevents the sentencing judge from suspending the first two (2) years of any sentence under limited circumstances.)

S2056

2026 -- S 2056
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LC003242
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
A N A C T
RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

Introduced By:
Senators Euer, Valverde, Quezada, Kallman, Lauria, Vargas, Acosta,
Mack, Pearson, and Zurier

Date Introduced:
January 09, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
(Attorney General)
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 11-47-5 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled "Weapons" is
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hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-47-5. Possession of firearms by certain persons prohibited.
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(a) No person shall purchase, own, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession any
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firearm if that person:
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(1) Has been convicted in this state or elsewhere of a crime of violence;
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(2) Has, in this state or elsewhere, entered a plea of nolo contendere to or been convicted
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of a felony;
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(2)
(3)
Is a fugitive from justice;
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(3)
(4)
Has, in this state or elsewhere, entered a plea of nolo contendere to or been convicted
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of an offense punishable as a felony under § 12-29-5; or
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(4)
(5)
Has, in this state or elsewhere, entered a plea of nolo contendere to or been convicted
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of any of the following offenses punishable as a misdemeanor under § 12-29-5:
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(i) Simple assault (§ 11-5-3);
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(ii) Cyberstalking and cyberharassment (§ 11-52-4.2);
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(iii) Violation of a protective order (as set forth in § 12-29-2(a)(10); or
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(iv) Disorderly conduct (§ 11-45-1).
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(A) A disorderly conduct conviction shall result in prohibition under this section if and
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only if the offense involves the use or attempted use of force or the threatened use of a dangerous

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weapon.
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(5)
(6)
The provisions of this subsection shall apply to all persons who enter a plea of nolo
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contendere to or have been convicted of any of the offenses specified in subsections (a)
(3)
(4)
and
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(a)
(4)
(5)
of this section, unless and until that person’s matter has been expunged, or upon the
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completion of the sentence of a one-year filing, or the end of a one-year probationary period that
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no longer constitutes a conviction pursuant to § 12-18-3.
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(b) No person shall purchase, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession any firearm
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if that person is subject to an order issued pursuant to chapter 15 of title 15, chapter 8.1 of title 8,
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or an equivalent order in this state or elsewhere, which order was issued after the person restrained
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has received notice of the proceedings and had an opportunity to be heard.
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(c) No person who is in community confinement pursuant to the provisions of § 42-56-
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20.2, or who is otherwise subject to electronic surveillance or monitoring devices as a condition of
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parole, shall purchase, carry, transport, or have in his or her possession any firearm. This subsection
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shall not apply to any person who has not been convicted of (or pleaded guilty or nolo contendere
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to) a crime of violence in a court of competent jurisdiction.
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(d) Every person violating the provisions of this section
, with the exception of subsection
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(a)(2) of this section,
shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for not less than two (2)
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nor
, but not
more than ten (10) years
; and for penalties provided in this section he or she shall not
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be afforded the benefit of suspension or deferment of sentence nor of probation
, of which the court
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may not suspend the first two (2) years of the sentence
.
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(e) Every person violating the provisions of subsection (a)(2) of this section shall be
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punished by imprisonment for not more than ten (10) years.
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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 disqualify individuals with prior felony convictions or nolo contendere
2
pleas from purchasing or possessing a firearm. It would also prevent the sentencing judge from
3
suspending the first two (2) years of any sentence under limited circumstances.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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