Rhode Island Task Force Calls For Semi-Auto Regulations, Magazine Ban
The 43-member group, which was established by an executive order by Raimondo two weeks after the high-profile Parkland school shooting in Florida, was made up of lawmakers, prosecutors, medical professionals and gun control advocates picked by the governor to examine establishing a “red flag” gun seizure law for the state.
While such a law has been adopted since the group was formed, its 99-page report issued last week included proposals to ban magazines capable of holding more than 10 rounds and tightly regulate most semi-auto long guns. Falling just short of an outright ban on such rifles and shotguns, the group advocated raising the minimum age to possess such a gun to be raised to 21, require state-approved training and licensing to buy one, and mandate that such arms be registered with law enforcement.
“There is simply no place for such firepower in civilian life,” said the report. “While a clear majority of the Working Group wanted to go further and ban all military-style assault weapons—as our neighboring states, Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey have done—the Working Group could not reach consensus for such a recommendation. Importantly, however, everyone agreed that registration and tougher restrictions on these weapons are warranted.”