AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Allows attorney general to enter into agreements with other states to recognize a concealed handgun permit as valid and authorizes RI to recognize and honor a concealed weapon permit from out of state with certain requirements.)

S2153

2026 -- S 2153
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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:
Senators Rogers, de la Cruz, E Morgan, Paolino, and Raptakis

Date Introduced:
January 16, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Section 11-47-9 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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11-47-9. Persons exempt from restrictions.
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(a) The provisions of § 11-47-8 shall not apply to sheriffs; deputy sheriffs; the
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superintendent and members of the state police; members of the Rhode Island airport police
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department; members of the Rhode Island capitol police; Rhode Island state fire marshal; chief
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deputy state fire marshals; deputy state fire marshals assigned to the bomb squad, and those
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assigned to the investigation unit; Providence fire department arson investigators, provided that the
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investigator receiving the permit is a graduate of a police-training academy; correctional officers,
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chief inspector and inspectors within the office of inspections, within the department of corrections;
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members of the city or town police force; capitol police investigators of the department of attorney
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general appointed pursuant to § 42-9-8.1; the witness protection coordinator for the witness
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protection review board as set forth in chapter 30 of title 12 and subject to the minimum
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qualifications of § 42-9-8.1; automobile theft investigators of the Rhode Island state police pursuant
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to § 31-50-1; railroad police while traveling to and from official assignments or while on
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assignments; conservation officers; or other duly appointed law enforcement officers; nor to
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members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, Space Force, and Marine Corps of the United States, the
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National Guard, or organized reserves, when on duty; nor to members of organizations by law
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authorized to purchase or receive firearms from the United States or this state, provided these

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members are at, or going to or from, their places of assembly or target practice; nor to officers or
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employees of the United States authorized by law to carry a concealed firearm; nor to any civilian
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guard or criminal investigator carrying sidearms or a concealed firearm in the performance of their
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official duties under the authority of the commanding officer of the military establishment in the
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state of Rhode Island where they are employed by the United States; nor to any civilian guard
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carrying sidearms or a concealed firearm in the performance of their official duties under the
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authority of the adjutant general where they are employed guarding a national guard facility,
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provided, that the commanding officer of the military establishment shall have on file with the
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attorney general of this state a list of the names and addresses of all civilian guards and criminal
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investigators so authorized; nor to duly authorized military organizations when on duty; nor to
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members when at, or going to or from, their customary places of assembly; nor to any individual
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employed in the capacity of warden, associate warden, major, captain, lieutenant, sergeant,
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correctional officer or investigator at any project owned or operated by a municipal detention
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facility corporation, including the Donald W. Wyatt Detention Facility; nor to the regular and/or
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ordinary transportation of pistols or revolvers as merchandise; nor to any person while transporting
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a pistol, or revolvers, unloaded from the place of purchase to their residence, or place of business,
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from their residence to their place of business or from their place of business to their residence, or
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to a federal firearms licensee for the purpose of sale, to or from a bona fide gunsmith, or firearms
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repair facility, to any police station or other location designated as a site of a bona fide “gun buy-
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back” program, but only if said pistol or revolver is unloaded and any ammunition for said pistol
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or revolver is not readily or directly accessible from the passenger compartment of such vehicle
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while transporting same and further provided, that in the case of a vehicle without a compartment
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separate from the passenger compartment, the firearm or the ammunition shall be stored in a locked
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container.
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(b) Persons exempted by the provisions of this section from the provisions of § 11-47-8
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shall have the right to carry concealed firearms everywhere within this state; provided, that this
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shall not be construed as giving the right to carry concealed firearms to a person transporting
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firearms as merchandise or as household or business goods.
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(c) The attorney general shall have the authority to enter into agreements or otherwise
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formally approve reciprocal recognition with other states that require an agreement to be in place
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before that state will recognize a Rhode Island attorney general and a city or town police department
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concealed handgun permit as valid.
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(d) The State of Rhode Island shall recognize and honor a concealed handgun or concealed
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weapon permit or license issued by any other state or county, provided:

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(1) The permit of license holder is a non-resident who is twenty-one (21) years of age or
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older;
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(2) The reciprocal state or county provides the means for instantaneous verification of the
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validity of all such permits or licenses within that state or county, accessible twenty-four (24) hours
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a day;
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(3) The permit or license holder has in their possession the concealed handgun or concealed
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weapon permit or license along with a photo identification issued by a state or government agency
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and presents for verification the permit of license and identification upon demand by a law
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enforcement officer; and
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(4) The permit or license holder is subject to the same laws and restrictions with respect to
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carrying a concealed weapon or concealed firearm as a resident of Rhode Island, who is so licensed.
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(e) The State of Rhode Island shall recognize an official government issued law
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enforcement identification card issued to an active-duty law enforcement officer from any other
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state or county. These individuals shall be exempted from the provisions of § 11-47-8 and shall
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have the right to carry a concealed firearm everywhere within the state.
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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 allow the attorney general to enter into agreements with other states to
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recognize a concealed handgun permit as valid. This act would authorize the State of Rhode Island
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to recognize and honor a concealed weapon permit from out of state provided the license holder is
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twenty-one (21) years of age or older, the reciprocal state or county provides a means of twenty-
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four (24) hours instantaneous verification, the permit holder has in their immediate possession the
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valid out of state permit along with a state issued photo identification and the individual is subject
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to the same laws and restrictions with respect to carrying a weapon as a resident of Rhode Island.
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Further, any active-duty law enforcement officers having a government issued identification card
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would have the right to carry a concealed firearm within the State of Rhode Island.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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