Rhode Island's 'Ghost Gun' Bill Head's To Governor's Desk

PROVIDENCE, RI — Legislation that would ban so-called "ghost guns" in Rhode Island is headed to the governor's desk. The bill, approved by the General Assembly, outlaws fiberglass or 3D printed firearms, which are untraceable and undetectable.

The legislation was sponsored by Sen. Cynthia Coyne and Rep. Patricia Serpa.

"While I am a strong proponent of people’s right to bear arms, these devices simply lack the safety, reliability and accountability of conventional firearms and have become a menace to society," Serpa said.

The bill was approved by the full Senate in January, not long before all legislative sessions were canceled for months due to the coronavirus pandemic. Gov. Gina Raimondo previously said she would sign the bill into law if it was approved by the General Assembly.

Under the legislation, it would be illegal to manufacture, sell, buy, transfer or own a ghost gun in the state. Violators would face up to a decade in prison and a $10,000 fine.

"Ghost guns, 3-D printed guns and undetectable plastic guns can easily facilitate criminal activity because they totally bypass the safeguards that protect the public," Coyne said. "Our state laws should be very clear that possessing, creating or selling them is a criminal act, and we should be doing everything we can to keep these dangerous weapons from proliferating here."

Similar legislation was approved by the Senate in 2019, after it was recommended by the 43-member Rhode Island Working Group for Gun Safety, which was assembled after the school shooting in Parkland, Florida. In January, the issue was reignited in Rhode Island after a Pawtucket woman was killed on Jan. 1. While the state's crime lab was unable to determine whether the gun used in the shooting was 3D-printed, the gun lacked a serial number.