The tiny four-member Republican caucus in the Rhode Island Senate made the difference in a vote Thursday that may have killed a proposed “assault weapon” ban in the current General Assembly session.
On a 20-to-17 vote, senators effectively rejected an effort by Sen. Pam Lauria (D-Barrington) to move the AWB bill from the Judiciary Committee to a different committee with more support.
Senate leadership appeared taken by surprise when Lauria spoke up.
Keeping the AWB bill in the closely divided Judiciary Committee, Lauria said, “all but guarantees the bill’s demise as similar legislation has repeatedly been held for further study for years in the Judiciary Committee without a vote.”
She added: “This practice denies the full Senate the opportunity to public debate and vote on one of the most consequential public safety bills, issues, of our time. To ensure this legislation receives the fair and transparent consideration it deserves, I request that H-5436 SubA be reassigned to the Senate Finance Committee …”
GOP Minority Whip Gordon Rogers (R-Foster) began objecting before Lauria was finished speaking, sparking a debate about whether her request was out of order.
After a brief delay, Senate President Val Lawson said the Senate parliamentarian ruled that Lauria’s request was out of order.
Sen. Ryan Pearson (D-Cumberland), who lost a bid for the Senate presidency following the death of former President Dominick Ruggerio, said Lawson was incorrect in her interpretation of the rules. He appealed the decision and said it was Lawson’s decision to make, not the parliamentarian’s.
Another delay ensued as Lawson — who became president in April — huddled with the parliamentarian.
Senators ultimately voted on Lawson’s ruling that Lauria was out of order.
Without the four Republicans in the Senate, the Democrats in support of Lauria would have won the vote 17-16. Instead, with the four GOP votes, the outcome was 20-17.
Those voting on the losing side included previous supporters of Pearson, Senate Finance Chair and sponsor of the AWB bill, Lou DiPalma (D-Middletown) and Senate Rules Chair Mark McKenney (D-Warwick), among others.
Lawson’s spokesman, Greg Pare, did not directly answer when asked why she opposed moving the AWB bill to a different committee.
“At this point, Senate President Lawson is working with [Judiciary] Chairman LaMountain and the members of the Senate Judiciary Committee to try to win the committee’s passage of the bill to the floor,” Pare said via email.
Melissa Carden, executive director of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence, expressed disappointment in the outcome Thursday, but said via statement, “There is still a path to move this bill to the Senate floor.”
The AWB ban is seen as having majority support in the full Senate.
Opponents say the bill defines too many guns as “assault weapons” and would mostly affect law-abiding gun owners.
The Rhode Island House recently approved an AWB ban bill sponsored by Rep. Jason Knight (D-Barrington), marking the first progress for the bill in years.
The General Assembly session is expected to end as soon as next Friday, so what happens in the Senate remains unclear.
The bill could die in committee, get a vote by the full Senate, or possibly be altered before a vote.
