H7373 amends Rhode Island’s weapons laws to mandate safe storage of firearms, requiring they be secured in locked containers or equipped with safety devices when not in use, with penalties ranging from fines to imprisonment for violations involving access by children or prohibited persons. The bill also requires licensed firearm dealers to provide trigger locks with all pistol, rifle, and shotgun sales and mandates informational signs and pamphlets about secure storage at sales sites and schools.
The Rhode Island House passed H7373 on May 28, 2024 by a vote of 46 to 24. We have assigned pluses to the nays because this legislation infringes on the Second Amendment and expands government intrusion into private property and personal freedoms. Taxpayer resources should not be used to enforce regulations that burden law-abiding citizens while failing to address criminal misuse of firearms. This legislation imposes costly mandates on businesses and individuals, undermining the free market and constitutional protections against government overreach. The right to keep and bear arms should remain free from state-imposed restrictions that erode individual liberty under the guise of public safety.
