NORTH SMITHFIELD – Councilors David Punchak and John Beauregard have joined forces to sponsor a decision in opposition to the Normal Meeting’s proposed assault weapons ban, in a transfer that follows swimsuit with 15 different Rhode Island cities and cities.
The decision, shared this week with NRI NOW, states that in Rhode Island, “the restricted gun violence that does exist shouldn’t be from legislation abiding residents who personal firearms, however from criminals who pay no consideration to any present or proposed legal guidelines.”
“It naturally follows that any payments proscribing the rights of firearm homeowners may have no influence on the felony aspect accountable for gun violence,” the decision notes.
Modeled after related textual content handed by the Lincoln City Council in March, the proposal is available in response to laws handed within the Home final week that will set up the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025, in addition to different payments that goal to additional prohibit firearms within the state.
“These payments not solely penalize legislation abiding residents from exercising their Constitutional proper for proudly owning a firearm, however additionally they injury federally licensed firearms sellers, who’re Rhode Island enterprise homeowners,” the proposal notes. “They’d most definitely prohibit their gross sales and livelihood.”
Beauregard and Punchak submitted the decision to be taken up as an agenda merchandise for dialogue and potential vote on the City Council assembly scheduled for Monday, June 16.
Beauregard stated he crafted the decision after listening to from many constituents.
“I acquired fairly just a few telephone calls on this,” he stated. “I feel they’re taking away our rights slightly at a time. I’m not a giant gun man, however once they make these legal guidelines, they solely have an effect on the law-abiding residents They’re disarming most people and leaving them as victims of the dangerous guys.”
“In an ideal world, it might be nice if there have been no weapons, however proper now too many dangerous guys have them,” Beauregard added.
North Smithfield’s proposed decision in opposition to the legislation notes {that a} Johns Hopkins Bloomberg Faculty of Public Well being Heart for Gun Violence Options report discovered that Rhode Island had the bottom total gun loss of life charge and gun suicide charge within the nation in 2022. It additionally states that the invoice quantities to an unfunded state mandate, and that “the City Council of the city of North Smithfield is not going to applicable funds for capital development of constructing house and/or the acquisition of storage techniques to retailer weapons seized, pursuant to any necessities set forth within the laws if enacted by the Normal Meeting for the aim of imposing any legislation, that unconstitutionally infringes upon the rights of the Folks of the city of North Smithfield to maintain and bear arms.”
If passed, the town’s resolution would be forwarded to every Rhode Island municipality, state senators, state representatives, the governor and the lieutenant governor requesting their support.
The state legislation banning assault weapons is now headed to the Senate with a possible vote expected in the coming days.
