AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS (Permits Rhode Island residents, 21 years of age or older, to carry a concealed handgun, without a permit.)

S2155

2026 -- S 2155
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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, Paolino, de la Cruz, E Morgan, 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. Sections 11-47-8 and 11-47-10 of the General Laws in Chapter 11-47 entitled
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"Weapons" are hereby amended to read as follows:
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11-47-8.
License or permit required for carrying pistol — Other weapons prohibited.

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Firearm prohibitions.
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(a)
Except as provided in § 11-47-10, no

No
person shall, without a license or permit issued
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as provided in §§ 11-47-11, 11-47-12, and 11-47-18, carry a pistol or revolver in any vehicle or
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conveyance or on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed, except in his or her
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dwelling house or place of business or on land possessed by him or her or as provided in §§ 11-47-
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9 and 11-47-10. The provisions of these sections shall not apply to any person who is the holder of
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a valid license or permit issued by the licensing authority of another state, or territory of the United
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States, or political subdivision of the state or territory, allowing him or her to carry a pistol or
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revolver in any vehicle or conveyance or on or about his or her person whether visible or concealed,
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provided the person is merely transporting the firearm through the state in a vehicle or other
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conveyance without any intent on the part of the person to detain him or herself or remain within
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the state of Rhode Island. No person shall manufacture, sell, purchase, or possess a machine gun
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except as otherwise provided in this chapter. Every person violating the provision of this section
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shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for not less than one nor more than ten (10)
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years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both, and except for a first conviction
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under this section, shall not be afforded the provisions of suspension or deferment of sentence, nor

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a probation.
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(b) No person shall have in his or her possession or under his or her control any sawed-off
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shotgun or sawed-off rifle as defined in § 11-47-2. Any person convicted of violating this
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subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for up to ten (10) years, or by a fine of up to five
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thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.
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(c) No person shall have in his or her possession or under his or her control any firearm
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while the person delivers, possesses with intent to deliver, or manufactures a controlled substance.
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Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished by imprisonment for not less
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than two (2) years nor more than twenty (20) years, and the sentence shall be consecutive to any
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sentence the person may receive for the delivery, possession with intent to deliver, or the
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manufacture of the controlled substance. It shall not be a defense to a violation of this subsection
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that a person has a license or permit to carry or possess a firearm.
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(d) It shall be unlawful for any person to possess a bump-fire device, binary trigger, trigger
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crank, or any other device that when attached to a semi-automatic weapon allows full-automatic
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fire. Individuals who possess these items shall have ninety (90) days from the enactment of this
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section to either sell, destroy, or otherwise remove these items from the state of Rhode Island. Every
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person violating the provisions of this section shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment
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for not less than one nor more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000),
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or both, and, except for a first conviction under this section, shall not be afforded the provisions of
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suspension or deferment of sentence, nor a probation.
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(e) No person shall manufacture, sell, offer to sell, transfer, purchase, possess, or have
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under his or her control a ghost gun or an undetectable firearm or any firearm produced by a 3D
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printing process. Any person convicted of violating this subsection shall be punished by
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imprisonment of not more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or
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both and except for a first conviction under this section shall not be afforded the provisions of
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suspension or deferment of sentence, probation, nor fine. These provisions shall not apply to
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federally licensed manufacturers (Federal Firearm License Type 07) pursuant to Alcohol, Tobacco,
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Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) regulations.
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11-47-10.
License or permit not required to carry to target range.
Exceptions to license
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requirement.
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(a) A lawful resident of this state, who is twenty-one (21) years of age or older, who is not
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otherwise prohibited from owning or possessing a firearm, shall be allowed to carry a concealed
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handgun without a permit, subject to the following conditions:
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(1) The individual shall have a certificate of qualification issued in accordance with § 11-

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47-15 (law enforcement personnel may possess a Certification of the RI Combat Course) from an
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N.R.A. instructor or a police range office. The certificate shall include the date of the qualification,
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the printed name, phone number of the instructor, instructor N.R.A. number, the caliber of the
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weapon and a passing score. The qualification certification may not be more than four (4) years
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old.
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(2) The individual shall have a pistol/revolver safety certificate or hunter safety certificate,
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issued and/or recognized by the Rhode Island department of environmental management.
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(3) The individual shall have in their possession, a valid photo identification issued by a
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state or governmental agency and present the identification immediately, upon demand by a law
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enforcement officer.
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(b) Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a) of this section, no

No
license or permit
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shall be required for the purpose of carrying or transporting any pistol or revolver from one’s home
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or place of business to a bona fide target practice range, nor from a bona fide target practice range
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to one’s home or place of business, to engage in any shoot meet, or practice, provided that the pistol
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or revolver is broken down, unloaded and carried as openly as circumstances will permit, or
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provided that the pistols or revolvers are unloaded and secured in a separate container suitable for
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the purpose.
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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 permit Rhode Island residents, twenty-one (21) years of age or older, to
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carry a concealed handgun, without a permit, subject to meeting four (4) conditions: (1) That the
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person is not prohibited by law from possessing a firearm; (2) That the handgun carrier must possess
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a certificate of qualification of shooting proficiency; (3) That the carrier has a safety certificate
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recognized by the Rhode Island department of environmental management; and (4) That the carrier
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has, in their possession, a governmental issued photo identification.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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