In a historic vote, the Rhode House Judiciary Committee on Tuesday approved a bill that would ban guns defined as assault weapons as of July 2026, sending the legislation to the House of Representatives for a vote as early as Thursday.
If the measure becomes law, guns purchased before the effective date will still be legal.
The 12-to-6 vote, with the top two House Democrats — Speaker Joe Shekarchi of Warwick and Majority Leader Chris Blazejewski of Providence adding symbolic heft to the vote in favor — came after a mix of Democratic and Republican representatives criticized aspects of the bill.
“There’s a famous saying,” said House GOP Whip David Place of Burrillville. “Those that desire security at the expense of liberty wind up with neither. The history of gun control is a history of fear and the seeking of security.”
Place argued that the modern gun control movement began in California in the 1960s due to concerns about the Black Panthers and fears of a militarized left. He suggested that people of color facing other charges will bear the brunt of the assault weapon ban if it becomes law.
Joining Place in voting no: House GOP Leader Michael Chippendale of Foster and Reps. Marie Hopkins (R-Warwick), David Bennett (D-Warwick), Thomas Noret (D-Coventry) and Arthur Corvese (D-North Providence).
The bill could go to the House floor as soon as Thursday, although the outlook remains clouded in a closely divided Senate Judiciary Committee.
Noret, a former police officer, argued the bill could make criminals out of people who post social media photos of themselves with guns they don’t own and others who stage informal shooting events on large pieces of property in towns like Coventry.
Chippendale said the bill doesn’t address the criminal causes of violent crime and could expose the state to costly legal appeals.
Rep. Jason Knight (D-Barrington), sponsor of the legislation, H5436, said it was modified to address concerns from critics and to narrow the range of guns it would outlaw.
Supporters applauded the 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. “We are grateful to Rep. Knight and the entire House leadership team for their support of this life-saving legislation.”
Former Gov. Gina Raimondo supported banning assault-style weapons when she was in office and the measure has the support of top Democrats in the state.
“It’s really quite simple: keeping weapons of war out of our communities will help prevent mass shootings,” Tony Morettini, a volunteer with the Rhode Island chapter of Moms Demand Action, said in a statement. “We’ve seen time and again the devastation that follows when a shooter is armed with an assault weapon. We’re encouraged that HB 5436 has advanced out of the House Judiciary Committee and are hopeful the full House will act quickly to pass this critical measure — and that the Senate will follow. How lawmakers vote on this bill will make one thing clear: whether they care more about protecting our children or appeasing the gun lobby.”
