RI: Second Amendment Rights Reprieved

Gun Watch ^ | 29 March, 2014 | Dean Weingarten

[marktwain]

The Speaker of the House in Rhode Island, Gordon Fox, resigned from the speakership after his office was raided by the Department of Justice, the FBI, and the IRS.   He was rated a "C" by the NRA.   While second amendment supporters had fought efforts to promote further infringements on their rights to a standstill in the state, several bills are still in the legislative process.   House Bill 7583 would mandate registration and restrict possession of "assault weapons".   HB 7585 would ban magazines of more than ten rounds.   HB 7584 would do both.    An explanation of these bills, which are essentially gun bans, can be found here.

The future of such legislation was in doubt until the election of Nicholas Mattiello as the new speaker of the House yesterday, March 27th.  Speaker of the House Mattiello has an A+ rating from the NRA.  From ABC6:

Mattiello has appointed Representative Cale Keable, a lawyer from Burrillville to chair the House Judiciary Committee and in a bipartisan move he appointed Representative Doreen Costa, a Republican representing Exeter and North Kingstown, to be the vice chair.

Costa has been a long time supporter of gun owner's rights, hosting Second Amendment rallies at the State House every time she feels that Second Amendment rights are being challenged by legislation.

Keable, who lives in Northern Rhode Island, which is chock full of sportsmen's clubs is also carries an A rank by the NRA. Between Costa, Keable, and Mattiello, it is unlikely that any anti-gun legislation will make it to a full floor vote, let alone pass through the House entirely.

The former Chairman of the Judiciary committee, Edith Ajello was ranked and F- by the NRA.

One has to wonder if the legislature in Rhode Island has been paying attention to what has been happening in nearby Connecticut.  Connecticut is facing massive civil disobedience to its draconian and likely unconstitutional laws gun laws.  One of the proposed Rhode Island laws is very similar to what Connecticut passed.

A list of the Connecticut legislators who voted for the registration and effective ban has been posted on the Internet.     Because of the massive civil disobedience by gun owners, some legislators have been reported as demanding protective details.  Of course, there are not enough police to go around.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
Link to Gun Watch

[marktwain]

Quite a change in Rhode Island. Who would have thought that they had some NRA A+ rated Democrats?

[Tupelo]

Northern Rhode Island??!

I did not know that Rhode Island was big enough to have a “northern”.

[yefragetuwrabrumuy]

This affords an opportunity for expansion of gun rights. That is, to quietly provide these legislative leaders with real examples of how other states have profited from gun liberty laws.

A soft sell, such as how not having any licensing of guns or carry permits saves a ton of money and makes things easier for the police, etc.

[Old Sarge]

Gordon Fox:

Black;
Democrat;
Homosexual;
Ethically Challenged;

(Sound like anyone else we know?)

Anf then there's THIS:

A list of the Connecticut legislators who voted for the registration and effective ban has been posted on the Internet. Because of the massive civil disobedience by gun owners, some legislators have been reported as demanding protective details. Of course, there are not enough police to go around.

Take notes, Rhode Island Leftists, take notes...

[jstaff]

And as I southern redneck I thought the whole thing was “northern”.

[bjorn14]

Looks like Rogue Island is moving a few ticks off stupid.

[ExCTCitizen]

Southern Rhode Island is Block Island, so northern Rhode Island is the rest of the state.

[trisham]

“Rhode Island covers an area of 1,214 square miles (3,140 km2) and is bordered on the north and east by Massachusetts, on the west by Connecticut, and on the south by Rhode Island Sound and the Atlantic Ocean.[2] It shares a narrow maritime border with New York State between Block Island and Long Island. The mean elevation of the state is 200 feet (60 m).
Nicknamed the Ocean State, Rhode Island has a number of oceanfront beaches. It is mostly flat with no real mountains, and the state’s highest natural point is Jerimoth Hill, 812 feet (247 m) above sea level.[17]
Located within the New England province of the Appalachian Region, Rhode Island has two distinct natural regions. Eastern Rhode Island contains the lowlands of the Narragansett Bay, while Western Rhode Island forms part of the New England Upland. Rhode Island’s forests are part of the Northeastern coastal forests ecoregion.[18]
Narragansett Bay is a major feature of the state’s topography. Block Island lies about 12 miles (19 km) off the southern coast of the mainland. Within the Bay, there are over 30 islands. The largest is Aquidneck Island, shared by the municipalities of Newport, Middletown, and Portsmouth. The second-largest island is Conanicut; the third-largest is Prudence.”

Source: Wikipedia