(a)  It is unlawful for any person to have in his or her possession a loaded rifle or loaded shotgun or a rifle or shotgun from the magazine of which all shells and cartridges have not been removed while upon or along any public highway, road, lane, or trail within this state; provided, that the provisions of this section shall not apply to deputy sheriffs, the superintendent and members of the state police, prison or jail wardens or their deputies, members of the city or town police force, investigators of the department of attorney general appointed pursuant to § 42-9-8.1, the director, assistant director and other inspectors and agents at the Rhode Island state fugitive task force appointed pursuant to § 12-6-7.2 [repealed], nor to other duly appointed law enforcement officers, including conservation officers, nor to members of the Army, Navy, Air Force, or Marine Corps of the United States, or the National Guard or organized reserves, when on duty, nor to officers or employees of the United States authorized by law to carry a concealed firearm, nor to any civilian guard or criminal investigator carrying sidearms or a concealed firearm in the performance of his or her official duties under the authority of the commanding officer of the military establishment in the state of Rhode Island where he or she is employed by the United States; nor to persons legally engaged in hunting activity pursuant to the provisions of chapter 13 or 18 of title 20.

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Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-51

  • Firearm: includes any machine gun, pistol, rifle, air rifle, air pistol, "blank gun" "BB gun" or other instrument from which steel or metal projectiles are propelled, or that may readily be converted to expel a projectile, except crossbows, recurve, compound, or longbows, and except instruments propelling projectiles that are designed or normally used for a primary purpose other than as a weapon. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-2
  • Person: includes an individual, partnership, firm, association, or corporation. See Rhode Island General Laws 11-47-2
  • town: may be construed to include city; the words "town council" include city council; the words "town clerk" include city clerk; the words "ward clerk" include clerk of election district; the words "town treasurer" include city treasurer; and the words "town sergeant" include city sergeant. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-9
  • United States: include the several states and the territories of the United States. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-8

(b)  Any person convicted of violating the provisions of this section shall be punished by imprisonment of not more than five (5) years, or by a fine of up to five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

History of Section.
P.L. 1959, ch. 75, § 1; P.L. 1992, ch. 286, § 2; P.L. 1993, ch. 423, § 2; P.L. 2012, ch. 324, § 41; P.L. 2022, ch. 133, § 1, effective June 21, 2022; P.L. 2022, ch. 134, § 1, effective June 21, 2022.