PROVIDENCE — Bishop Richard G. Henning and the Rhode Island Catholic Conference have put forward statements in favor of two recent bills proposed before the Rhode Island Legislature aimed at increasing gun safety.
In a March 13 statement, Father Bernard Healey, director of the Rhode Island Catholic Conference, noted that while there are a variety of factors influencing the rate or severity of gun violence which must be addressed, all gun violence is tragic and represents a stumbling block to justice.
“Gun violence is complicated and cannot be addressed with just a change of policy,” Father Healey wrote.
“Whether it is a well-publicized mass shooting or the many gun-related deaths that occur every day that do not make the news, these tragedies all differ in their circumstances.”
“One thing is clear: there must be reasonable attempts to reform gun legislation,” Father Healey continued.
He went on to quote from a 2013 statement by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, which decried overly easy access to firearms as a threat to public safety and called for reasonable regulations on the sale or possession of weapons.
Nonetheless, this same document from the USCCB went on to note that while legal regulations on gun ownership are part of the solution, they are not the sole or primary way of decreasing gun-related violence, noting how a decrease in violence requires attempts at bringing about broader social renewal, something which demands an attention to mental health and family-related issues.
“Although much more work will be necessary to address the root causes of gun violence, we encourage the Rhode Island General Assembly to make meaningful reform by advancing Senate Bill No. 2202 … and Senate Bill No. 2653,” Father Healey stated.
The document concluded by quoting from a public statement by Bishop Richard G. Henning, in which he urged the General Assembly to sign these bills into law, claiming that they serve “the common good and the defense of human life.”
The first, Bill SB 2202, was proposed by Senator Pamela J. Lauria of District 32 (Barrington, Bristol, East Providence). The bill mandates that all guns left unattended by the owner of the weapon must be stored at all times in a locked container or must have a mechanical lock placed on the trigger.
This does not apply to guns kept on the person of the owner or anyone who the owner gives permission to use the gun, or if it is within a close enough distance of the owner that they can obtain access to the gun quickly in the case of an emergency.
First and second violations of this regulation are seen as civil offenses punishable by fine, and three or more violations are seen as criminal offenses punishable by up to 6 months in prison and/or a $500 fine.
The bill also asserts that if the firearm is kept unattended in a place where the owner knew, or should have been reasonably expected to know, that it could easily be obtained by anyone under the age of 18 or a person legally prohibited from purchasing or possessing a gun, the owner of the weapon can be punished by up to one year in prison and/or a fine of $1,000.
The proposed bill states that the only exception is if the weapon was obtained through illegal means, if the owner took every prior precaution to prevent misuse of the gun, or if the weapon was used in a legitimate act of self-defense.
Similarly, Bill SB 2653, introduced by Senator Louis P. DiPalma of District 12 (Newport, Middletown, Little Compton, Tiverton), prohibits the buying, selling, or possession of assault weapons, which it defines as any semi-automatic pistol with a fixed magazine capacity exceeding six rounds or the capacity to accept a detachable magazine, or a semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine exceeding 10 rounds or the capacity to accept a detachable magazine, as well as certain additional features, including a bayonet mount, grenade launcher, and/or a folding or telescopic stock.
Anyone caught in violation of this bill can be imprisoned for a maximum of 10 years or pay a fine of $10,000, in addition to the confiscation of the weapon.
The bill makes an exception for assault weapons owned prior to the passage of the bill.
Similar bills were also proposed in the House of Representatives and were sponsored by Representative Jason Knight of District 67 (Barrington, Warren) and Representative Justine Caldwell of District 30 (East Greenwich, West Greenwich).
