Rhode Island Senate Bill 2710 Seeks to Ban Possession of Common Semi-Automatic Firearms

Rhode Island lawmakers have introduced Senate Bill 2710, a measure that would ban possession of commonly owned semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns. The proposal targets firearms that millions of law-abiding citizens use for self-defense, sport and tradition.

The bill does not specify how the state would handle firearms already in private hands that would become illegal. This omission raises concerns about potential forced surrender or door-to-door confiscation of legally acquired property.

Owners seeking to comply face a sales option that requires selling to federally licensed dealers or qualified out-of-state buyers by year's end. Such a rush would drive down prices and force sales at a loss. If the law is later struck down, owners would pay twice for the same guns.

Lawmakers are also pushing requirements for gun owners to carry million-dollar liability insurance policies. Critics call this a tactic to price ordinary Americans out of exercising Second Amendment rights.

Last year, Rhode Island banned the manufacture, sale and purchase of these firearms but allowed prior owners to keep them. Now legislators aim to close that loophole, according to reports from the NRA Institute for Legislative Action.

The push threatens every gun owner in the state and could set a precedent for other states, the reports state. Anti-gun politicians expect court challenges but pursue passage and enforcement anyway to drain resources from opponents and chill lawful conduct.

Responsible gun owners who follow the law would bear the impact, while violent criminals ignore such bans. The Second Amendment applies equally across state lines, regardless of local politics.