AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- CAUSES OF ACTION (Provides for a cause of action against an individual or entity that prohibits the possession of firearms on real property, except residences, by an individual that is authorized and licensed to carry a firearm.)

S2283

2026 -- S 2283
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LC003342
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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 COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
CAUSES OF ACTION

Introduced By:
Senators de la Cruz, Rogers, Patalano, Dimitri, E Morgan, and Paolino

Date Introduced:
January 23, 2026

Referred To:
Senate Judiciary
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 9-1 of the General Laws entitled "Causes of Action" is hereby
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amended by adding thereto the following section:
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9-1-55. Civil liability of individual or entity that prohibits the possession of firearms.
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(a) Whenever any person who owns a firearm, and is authorized and licensed to carry a
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firearm, shall suffer any injury to his or her person or death, suffer physical, emotional and/or
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mental distress, incur economic loss or expense, property damage or any other compensable loss
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as a result of conduct occurring on real property, except residences, with a written notice prohibiting
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the possession of firearms, may recover his or her damages for the injury or death, physical,
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emotional and/or mental distress, economic loss or expense, property damage or any other
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compensable loss, in a civil action against the individual or entity that owns the real property that
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prohibits the possession of firearms.
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(b) The cause of action set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall extend to the conduct
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of other invitees, trespassers, employees of the person or entity, vicious animals, wild animals, and
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defensible man-made and natural hazards.
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(c) The statute of limitations for the cause of action set forth in subsection (a) of this section
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shall be three (3) years from the date of the occurrence of the conduct which gave rise to any
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damages.
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(d) To prevail in a cause of action brought under this section, the plaintiff must show by a

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preponderance of the evidence that:
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(1) The plaintiff owned a firearm, was authorized and licensed to carry a firearm or was
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not prohibited from carrying a firearm at the time of the incident giving rise to the action;
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(2) The plaintiff did not carry the firearm on the property where the incident occurred
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because of the written notice prohibiting the possession of firearms;
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(3) The injury, death, physical, emotional and/or mental distress, economic loss or expense,
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property damage or other compensable loss was caused as a result of the conduct that occurred on
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the real property and could have been avoided if the plaintiff was authorized to carry his or her
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firearm onto the real property; and
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(4) The person or entity exercising control over the real property was not required by state
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or federal law to post the notice prohibiting the possession of firearms, but posted the notice by
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choice of that individual or entity.
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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 COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE -- PROCEDURE GENERALLY --
CAUSES OF ACTION
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This act would provide for a cause of action against an individual or entity that prohibits
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the possession of firearms on real property, except residences, by an individual that is authorized
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and licensed to carry a firearm. The cause of action would allow the injured individual to recover
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for injury to his or her person, death, physical, emotional and/or mental distress, economic loss or
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expense, property damage or any other compensable loss as a result of conduct occurring on the
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real property that prohibits the possession of firearms.
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This act would take effect upon passage.
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LC003342
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