Rhode Island Governor Signs Gun Ban Bill

Rhode Island Gov. Daniel McKee has signed a bill banning the manufacture, sale, and transfer of so-called assault weapons into law, though the measure won’t take effect until July, 2026. 

While some supporters of the new law claim it’s not really a gun ban because it doesn’t impact those firearms that are currently in the hands of their lawful owners, anti-gunners in the state have made it clear that this is just a first step… and the end goal is the eradication of the most popular rifles in the country. 

“The world of these types of dangerous weapons does become smaller in a way, but it’s important to ban both sales and possession,” RICAGV Executive Director Melissa Carden previously told 12 News.

Violators of the ban would face up to 10 years in prison or a $10,000 fine.

Ten years in prison for transferring an AR-15 to someone who is legally eligible to keep and bear arms. Meanwhile, you can apparently have four DUIs in three years and still walk (or drive) away on probation in Rhode Island. Keep in mind that the state had 22 deaths due to drunk driving in 2022, compared to 18 homicides across the state that year. Not homicides involving “assault weapons”, mind you. That’s the total number of all homicides. 

If Rhode Island Democrats want to increase public safety by banning inanimate objects, they’d be better off targeting cars and trucks than semi-automatic long guns. But we know this isn’t about public safety. It’s about banning guns; both the sale and possession of commonly-owned arms, as Carden made clear. 

Meanwhile, Republicans like House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale believe the bill is unconstitutional and will face challenges in court. 

“[The legislation] will immediately face suit, both federal and state … which will cost the taxpayers of Rhode Island hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of dollars to defend,” Chippendale said. “Ultimately, the Supreme Court will have a say in about two years.”

Well, we hope that will be the case, but no one really knows when the Court will finally see fit to address bans on some of the most popular firearms in the nation. We also aren’t likely to see any lawsuits until we get closer to the gun ban taking effect, and the fact that the First Circuit Court of Appeals has previously ruled other “assault weapon” bans are allowed means 2A groups are already facing an uphill battle in the lower courts. 

One thing is certain, however. Sales of these targeted arms are going to soar in Rhode Island over the next twelve months. Some folks will buy an AR-15 to spite the anti-gunners, others will do so to show their support for the Second Amendment, and plenty of residents will purchase a soon-to-be-prohibited rifle, pistol, or shotgun for lawful purposes like hunting, competitive or recreational shooting, and home defense. 

The gun banners are going to be back at it next session. As Senate Minority Leader Jessica de la Cruz told Bearing Arms’ Cam & Co this week, the “redcoats” (as she referred to gun control activists) aren’t going to be satisfied until they’ve obliterated the right to keep and bear arms. Their next target will be a ban on the possession of most semi-automatic long guns, and the lobbying has already begun. 

Frankly, I’m not sure how much lobbying they need to do. A number of Democrats in both the House and Senate complained about having to vote for a watered-down “assault weapon” ban when they really wanted to go much further. They’ll get their chance when the 2026 session begins in early January, though it will be interesting to see how many Democrats are willing to press the issue and push for a ban on possession in an election year.