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Yahoo
5 days ago
- General
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R.I. House committee advances assault weapons ban in historic 12-6 vote
Rep. Jason Knight, second from left, explains his bill banning the sale and manufacture of assault-style weapons in Rhode Island before the House Committee on Judiciary on June 3, 2025. To his left: Rep. Arthur Corvese, a North Providence Democrat who voted against advancing the bill. To Knight's right: Committee Chairman Robert Craven and Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, a South Kingstown Democrat. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) After years of stalling at the committee level, legislation banning the sale and manufacturing of assault-style weapons in Rhode Island starting in July 2026 is headed to the House floor for the first time in legislative history. The House Committee on Judiciary voted 12-6 Tuesday to advance the amended bill by Rep. Jason Knight, a Barrington Democrat, for consideration by the full chamber on Thursday. The historic vote drew rare attendance from Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi and House Majority Leader Christopher Blazejewski, who used their ex-officio role on all House Committees to participate in the vote. All of the state's general officers have already expressed support for the bill. 'This is a very historic and important bill,' Shekarchi told reporters after the meeting. 'It's a bill that accomplishes what we wanted to do: To take these weapons off the street.' Knight's bill would prohibit the sale and manufacturing of assault-style shotguns, handguns, and rifles beginning July 1, 2026. Violators of the proposed ban would face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 and forfeiting their assault-style weapons. The bill applies to any semiautomatic firearm that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least one attachment such as stocks, pistol grips, and barrel shrouds. Certain .22 caliber rimfire rifles and Olympic-style target pistols would remain exempt from the proposed ban. Yes votes came from Chairman Robert Craven, a North Kingstown Democrat; Rep. Carol Hagan McEntee, a South Kingstown Democrat; Rep. Jason Knight, a Barrington Democrat; Rep. Edith Ajello, a Providence Democrat; Rep. José Batista, a Providence Democrat; Rep. Justine Caldwell, an East Greenwich Democrat; Rep. Julie Casimiro, a North Kingstown Democrat; Rep. Cherie Cruz, a Pawtucket Democrat; Rep. Matthew Dawson, an East Providence Democrat; Rep. Leonela Felix, a Pawtucket Democrat; House Majority Leader Christopher Blazejewski, a Providence Democrat; and House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, a Warwick Democrat. No votes came from Rep. David Bennett, a Warwick Democrat; Rep. Arthur Corvese, a North Providence Democrat; Rep. Marie Hopkins, a Warwick Republican; Rep Thomas Noret, a Coventry, Democrat; Rep. David Place; a Burrillville Republican; and House Minority Leader Michael Chippendale, a Foster Republican. Knight said the latest definition was based on feedback the committee received during the bill's initial hearing on March 29. But lawmakers — both Republican and Democrat — still voiced numerous concerns with the amended legislation Tuesday, while gun rights advocates in yellow T-shirts listened silently in the audience. Rep. David Bennett, a Warwick Democrat, asked if there were any carveouts for orthopedic pistol grips. No, Knight responded. 'That's too bad,' Bennett said. But Knight said gun owners can still purchase firearms with any of the outlawed features if they are purchased ahead of the proposed ban, along with any firearm passed down through a family. Firearm owners can voluntarily register their weapons with state and local police in order to receive a certificate of possession. Knight's original bill had mandated that grandfathered weapons be registered, which Second Amendment advocates called unconstitutional. The voluntary certification did not appease House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale, a Foster Republican. He argued that certification would be necessary to prove ownership in the event of a police arrest. 'That sounds like a registry with a different name,' Chippendale said. Rep. Thomas Noret, a Coventry Democrat, said he was concerned that the bill could criminalize people who post photos of themselves with guns they don't own on social media. 'That mere second that they possess it — it could potentially ruin their lives,' he said. Knight responded that law enforcement already uses social media posts as evidence and that police always have the discretion to not file charges. Rep. David Place, a Burrillville Republican, argued that passing the bill will not reduce gun violence, and suggested it would disproportionately penalize people of color. 'No one that looks like me is going to be sent to jail for this bill unless I fire on somebody who comes to my door,' he said. 'We move this bill out of fear at the expense of individual liberty.' Rhode Island Republican Party Chairman Joe Powers called Knight's legislation 'a political Trojan horse.' 'It's designed to look like public safety, but it's nothing more than government overreach wrapped in fear-mongering,' Powers said in a statement. 'They're hoping you won't notice your rights being stripped away, one inch at a time.' Gun safety advocates celebrated the committee's vote. 'Our advocates and partners have worked tirelessly for more than a decade in the name of public safety and we are thrilled to have made it this far in the legislative process,' Melissa Carden, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, said in a statement. Tony Morettini, legislative chapter lead for Moms Demand Action, said he's hopeful the bill will clear the full House. 'A chamber passing it sends a big message,' he said. That message, he said, will be directed across the rotunda to the Rhode Island Senate where the proposal remains uncertain. Companion legislation filed in the Senate by Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, has 23 additional sponsors, including Senate President Valarie Lawson. DiPalma's bill was heard by the Senate Committee on Judiciary on May 14 where it was held for further study. Three Democrats who serve on the committee voiced opposition to the proposal during the initial hearing on DiPalma's bill. Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, a Providence Democrat and federal firearms dealer, has also voiced opposition to banning assault-style weapons as initially drafted. Lawson did not immediately respond to request for comment on where the proposed ban lies on her list of priorities. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
6 days ago
- General
- Yahoo
House panel to consider advancing amended assault weapons ban bill to R.I. House floor
Yellow shirts of Second Amendment supporters frame the view of Rep. Jason Knight, a Barrington Democrat, lead sponsor of the bill to ban assault-style weapons, during a House Committee on Judiciary on Wednesday, March 26, 2025. Knight's amended bill is set for a vote on Tuesday, June 3. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) After securing a big win at the federal level Monday, Rhode Island's gun safety advocates are hoping the momentum continues at the State House Tuesday when a House panel will consider an amended bill to ban assault-style firearms. The U.S. Supreme Court declined to take up a challenge by gun rights advocates against the state's 2022 law banning firearm magazines that hold more than 10 rounds of ammunition. Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha said in a statement he's grateful the court did not overturn the ban. 'As the Rhode Island General Assembly prepares to vote on the assault weapons ban, it is my hope that this office's successful defense of the large-capacity magazine ban inspires our leadership to act, and act boldly,' Neronha said. 'One life lost to gun violence is one too many.' The 15-member House Committee on Judiciary meets Tuesday at 3 p.m. to consider advancing amended legislation sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight, a Barrington Democrat, to the floor for a full vote by the chamber. Knight's bill has support from 38 of the House's 75 members. Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi has previously indicated support for a ban on assault-style weapons. The proposal includes revisions based on feedback from a March 26 Judiciary Committee hearing where hundreds of Second Amendment advocates in yellow T-shirts outnumbered gun safety advocates. Under Knight's bill, assault weapons are defined as semiautomatic rifles, pistols, and shotguns equipped with accessories such as pistol grips, folding stocks, or threaded barrels. The amended version removed bayonet mounts and certain .22 caliber rimfire rifles and Olympic-style target pistols from the definition. The amended legislation now takes effect July 1, 2026, rather than Jan. 1, 2026. Knight said the new date was picked in order to give store owners more time to prepare for the change, and for state and local police to develop a voluntary firearm certification program for assault-style weapons acquired ahead of the ban. Knight's original legislation proposed that grandfathered weapons be registered with state or local police. Weapons acquired ahead of the ban would continue to be exempt from the legislation, but the amended bill also exempts firearms passed down through a family. The amended bill now exempts retired law enforcement officers. That's in addition to active police and members of the armed forces who would be allowed to keep assault-style weapons under the original bill. 'We got rid of one or two things upon reflection we probably did not need,' Knight said in an interview Monday. 'The vast majority of Rhode Islanders want this policy change,' he added, acknowledging two recent polls that found widespread support for banning assault weapons. A University of New Hampshire poll released May 29 found that 55% of the 653 residents surveyed were in favor of banning the sale and manufacture of firearms with 'military-style features.' A February poll conducted for the Rhode Island AFL-CIO found 64% of Rhode Islanders support the ban. Knight has backed legislation to ban assault-style weapons since 2018 — the same year then-Gov. Gina Raimondo established a gun-safety working group after a gunman killed 17 students in Parkland Florida with an AR-15. 'You see random acts of violence that involve multiple victims stepping up,' Knight said. 'It's our responsibility as a legislature to provide public order and safety.' What's not changing in the amended bill: Violators of the proposed ban would face up to 10 years in prison, a fine of up to $10,000 and forfeiture of their assault-style weapon. 'It's a good bill,' Melissa Carden, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, said in an interview. 'This is really momentous. This is the reason that the coalition was formed, it's been our priority for a really long time.' But Knight's changers are still not enough to appease gun rights advocates, who remain opposed to the proposed ban. 'Their concern is passing a bill for the win, and not reducing gun violence,' Glenn Valentine, president of the Rhode Island Second Amendment PAC, said in a text message Monday. The Gaspee Project, a nonprofit that touts its opposition to progressive and 'special interest' policies on its website, took to social media Friday evening to urge gun owners to keep opposing Knight's legislation. 'This amended version is just as awful as the original,' the group wrote on X. Companion legislation is filed in the Senate by Lou DiPalma, a Middletown Democrat, where the bill has 23 additional sponsors — including Senate President Valarie Lawson. DiPalma's bill was heard by the Senate Committee on Judiciary on May 14 where it was held for further study The bill has not been scheduled for the committee's consideration as of Monday. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
01-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Bill aims to establish Louisiana's official Christmas children's book
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A bill aims to make a cherished Cajun holiday story Louisiana's official Christmas children's book. House Bill 273, introduced by Rep. Annie Spell (R-Lafayette), seeks to make 'Cajun Night Before Christmas' the official state children's Christmas book during the 2025 regular legislative session. The book, written by J.B. Kling Jr. and illustrated by James Rice, offers a Cajun take on the classic ''Twas the Night Before Christmas.' The book, first released in 1973, swaps snow and sleigh bells for moss-covered trees, skiffs powered by alligators and a Cajun Santa bringing joy to Louisiana. Spell said the holiday story is still a bestseller with more than one million copies sold. She said the story has made an impact across the U.S. and internationally as it's read in classrooms and sent as a gift to out-of-town clients by businesses. 'Many adults remember it as one of their first tales of the Cajun dialect, and their children have read it, and their grandchildren have read it. This is true for my family,' Spell said. The House Committee on Judiciary approved the bill with an amendment to clarify that the book would be the state's children's Christmas book. NORAD's Santa tracker was a Cold War morale boost. Now it attracts millions of kids Proposed Louisiana bill would require citizenship check for public benefit applicants US, Ukraine sign mineral deal Bill aims to establish Louisiana's official Christmas children's book House votes to overturn California clean truck rules – defying internal watchdog Toby Keith's dreams to come true at Kentucky Derby Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
30-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
House panel reconsiders, approves bill to make underage online gambling a misdemeanor
Democratic Rep. Arthur Corvese of North Providence, left, talks with Democratic Rep. Jason Knight of Barrington ahead of the House Committee on Judiciary's meeting on Wednesday, April 29, 2025. Knight had previously voted against the proposal to make it a misdemeanor for minors to gamble online, but changed his vote in the affirmative. (Photo by Christopher Shea/Rhode Island Current) A week after the House Committee on Judiciary struck down a proposal by the Rhode Island State Police to make it a misdemeanor for anyone under the age of 21 to gamble online, that very legislation is now headed to the chamber's floor. Without any debate, the committee on Tuesday reconsidered the bill to amend the state's 2023 iGaming law and advanced it with a 10-5 vote. The legislation sponsored by Rep. Gregory Costantino, a Lincoln Democrat, would impose up to one year in prison and a $1,000 fine if anyone ages 18 to 20 bets or plays in the virtual casino. Bally's Corp., which runs Rhode Island's two casinos, manages the only iGaming app available in the state. Fears that high-school aged kids would get hooked on iGaming led lawmakers to restrict access to anyone under 21 when state officials legalized online gaming in 2023. Costantino's proposal had been rejected by the committee 7-5 during its April 22 meeting amid concerns that it would criminalize an act 18-year olds are allowed to do in person or online when betting on sports. But under House rules, committee members can move to reconsider a vote as long as the bill is still in the legislative panel's possession and the motion is made by someone who voted with the majority. In this case, the motion was made by Rep. Jason Knight, a Barrington Democrat who initially voted against the bill. 'Although it's unusual for a bill to go up and down then come back, it's not unheard of,' Knight told Rhode Island Current after the vote. House committees reconsidered three bills in 2024, chamber spokesperson Larry Berman said in an email Tuesday. This year, five bills have been reconsidered among the 114 advanced to the House floor. Berman said reconsiderations occur when new information emerges or if further clarification on a bill is needed. He added that at least two of the three committee members who missed the vote have indicated they would like the opportunity to participate. Democrats David Bennet of Warwick and Matthew Dawson of East Providence voted in favor of Costantino's bill. Rep. José Batista, a Providence Democrat, voted against the measure. Asked why he made the motion and changed his vote, Knight said it was done to pass a piece of legislation 'that would make everyone happy.' Also changing their votes were Reps. Julie Casimiro, a North Kingstown Democrat, and Rep. Marie Hopkins, a Warwick Republican. 'We're looking for a way to get to a bill that wants to accomplish what it wants to policywise while addressing some of the objections,' Knight said. 'All I can say is the bill is alive, it's the subject of a lot of conversations and we'll see what happens.' Rep. Cherie Cruz, a Pawtucket Democrat, is certainly not happy that the bill is advancing to the floor without additional debate. 'I just wanted to ask a question,' she said in an interview. 'And we usually can always ask a question on a bill.' But the committee's chairman, Robert Craven, a North Kingstown Democrat who voted in favor of the bill, told Rhode Island Current that House rules prohibit testimony and debate on bills up for reconsideration. Committee members can question witnesses who are there to provide clarification on the proposal. Craven indicated ahead of the meeting that a representative from the Rhode Island State Police may have wanted to have an additional chance to make the case for the legislation they are pushing. A state trooper was present at Tuesday's committee meeting, but did not speak. Sgt. Ernest Adams, a detective for the State Police's Gaming Enforcement Unit, testified at the bill's initial hearing March 25 where he called the proposal 'essential' for officers to enforce the mandated age of the iGaming law. But Cruz told Rhode Island Current that gamers under 21 who are allowed to bet in person may not know they are breaking the law should they do it on their phones. 'You could even be inside the casino and you're violating the law,' Cruz said. Joining Cruz against the proposal were Democrats Edith Ajello of Providence, Leonela Felix of Pawtucket and David Place, a Foster Republican. Cruz said the state should instead penalize minors with civil fines, much like it does for underage drinking and smoking. Knight disagreed. 'We're not talking about cannabis, alcohol or tobacco,' he said. 'We're talking about gambling — it's a different public policy question.' An official floor vote has not been scheduled as of Tuesday evening. Companion legislation is sponsored in the Senate by Frank Ciccone, a Providence Democrat. The Senate Committee on Gaming and Labor, which Ciccone chairs, held the bill for further study on March 26, as is standard procedure when legislation is first considered by a legislative panel. SUBSCRIBE: GET THE MORNING HEADLINES DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX
Yahoo
10-03-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
DeSana moves to repeal "Red Flag" laws
LANSING — State Representative James DeSana, R-Carleton, introduced a bill package recently to repeal the "Red Flag" laws that were signed into Michigan law last year. According to a release, DeSana is against the Extreme Risk Protection Orders because they allow courts to seize firearms from an individual if they're accused to being a risk to themselves or others with no right to a hearing before the action. "Really when you come to the bottom line... the 5th and the 14th amendments are still in existence," he said. "We can't wipe out the 5th and 14th amendment to due process. We just flip the American legal system upside down by saying 'you no longer have due process.'" According to DeSana, laws like the Baker Act and the 5150 hold procedure already provided ways for people who pose potential danger to be held for their and others' safety with due process. "Where as with Red Flag, it's just an accusation and you don't even get to face your accuser," he said. McCenzie Mento, owner of Supermatch G&A LLC in Newport, is against the laws because he knows people who would've had their guns taken away under false pretense if they had been on the books in the past. "Whether it was divorce or something like that," he said. "An upset spouse or a mad ex could call up the local sheriff's office or police department and claim they were looking to do something dumb or stupid even though it's not true." HB 4138-4140 were introduced on February 26 and referred to House Committee on Judiciary for further consideration. — You can reach Connor Veenstra at cveenstra@ This article originally appeared on The Monroe News: Carleton representative DeSana moves to repeal "Red Flag" laws
