Rhode Island’s Democrat-run legislature passed a bill Friday banning the instate sale and manufacture of “assault weapons.”
The measure now heads to Gov. Dan McKee’s (D) desk.
The Associated Press reported that state Rep. Rebecca Kislak (D) contended for the ban, suggesting it is “an incremental move that brings Rhode Island in line with neighboring states.”
The ban “only applies to the sale and manufacturing of assault weapons and not possession.”
Gov. McKee reacted to Friday’s passage of the ban with an X post, saying: I’m proud that Rhode Island took an important step forward in protecting our communities from gun violence. I included an assault weapons ban in my budget for this very reason — and as a result, tonight we saw progress.
He added, “I thank the General Assembly and the many advocates for their tireless work, and I hope they’ll join me when I sign this bill into law. As Governor, I’m committed to working with our partners on common sense gun safety measures to keep our communities safe.”
WJAR quoted House Minority Leader Mike Chippendale (R) expressing disappointment over the passage of the ban, saying, “I felt and I still feel that we have a bill that is unconstitutional. It will be challenged in court, it will be overturned but the people of Rhode Island will continue to pay for these kinds of cases to be litigated,”
AWR Hawkins is an award-winning Second Amendment columnist for Breitbart News and the writer/curator of Down Range with AWR Hawkins, a weekly newsletter focused on all things Second Amendment, also for Breitbart News. He is the political analyst for Armed American Radio, a member of Gun Owners of America, and the director of global marketing for Lone Star Hunts. He was a Visiting Fellow at the Russell Kirk Center for Cultural Renewal in 2010 and has a Ph.D. in Military History. Follow him on Instagram: @awr_hawkins. You can sign up to get Down Range at breitbart.com/downrange. Reach him directly at [email protected].
Read the full article here