Rhode Island lawmakers are calling for new gun control legislation to be passed in response to this week's deadly school shooting in Texas.
The chair of the state legislative Black and Latino Caucus says “Once again, senseless carnage is all over our screens and newspapers and more young innocent lives have been robbed of the chance to grow up. We are sickened to relive these horrific and preventable tragedies over and over and the time for action can no longer be delayed. We are calling on our fellow members of the General Assembly to pass the common sense gun safety laws that will protect our children and residents from the vile and reprehensible acts recently experienced in Texas and Buffalo,” said Chairwoman Karen Alzate.
Representative Alzate advocated for bills that would prohibit the following: the sale and possession of high-capacity magazines, people from openly-carrying loaded rifles and shotguns on public streets in most settings, and the future sale and possession of assault weapons while current owners would be allowed to keep theirs. Another bill would require gun owners to securely store their weapons when not under their immediate control. The fifth and final proposed piece of legislation would raise the age to purchase rifles and shotguns to 21.
It is unclear if there will be any votes scheduled in this legislative session.
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