School boards support gun control group
Group wants to ban firearm carriers from school campuses
The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence has for years tried to change state law regarding the concealed carry of firearms in schools. After legislation has gotten stuck in committee for three years, the organization is hoping for passage this year.
The school committees of Cumberland and Lincoln this week passed resolutions supporting legislation that would disallow possession of firearms on school grounds except among law enforcement officers, bringing the number of Rhode Island school committees in support to 20.
Section 11-47-60 of the Rhode Island General Laws states, “No person shall have in his or her possession any firearm or other weapons on school grounds.” It also states, however, that the provisions of the section do not apply to people who are exempt under the provisions of 11-47-11.
That section states that if it appears a person over the age of 21 “has good reason to fear an injury to his or her person or property or has any other proper reason for carrying a pistol or revolver,” the municipality where that per- son lives shall “issue a license or permit to the person to carry concealed upon his or her person a pistol or revolver everywhere within the state.”
The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence (RICAGV) “everywhere” to include schools.
The legislation introduced in both the state House of Representatives and Senate in early February crosses out section 11-47-11 from the exemptions in section 11-4760, the law that states no person shall possess a firearm on school grounds.
The House bill (H5345) was introduced by representatives Katherine Kazarian, Edith Ajello, Christopher Blazejewski, Teresa Tanzi and Raymond Hull. The Senate bill (S0187) was introduced by senators Harold Metts, Gayle Goldin, Elizabeth Crowley, Ana Quezada and Jeanine Calkin.
RICAGV secretary Nan Heroux said the organization has been talking to House Speaker Nicholas Mattiello more this year but hasn’t heard any commitment that the legislation will make it out of committee.
“We’re a little bit concerned about more people coming forward and asking the committee, the judiciary committee, to let the bills out for votes,” she said.
The National Rifle Association’s Institute for Legislative Action opposes the bill.
“This is nothing more than a swipe at lawful concealed carry permit holders,” says a post on the group’s website reviewing gun-related legislation pending in the state.
“Current law already permits carry for those properly screened and licensed to carry, and this law has been on the books for years with no demonstrated problems. To the contrary, creating more gun free zones does nothing more than embolden criminals. This legislation was introduced and defeated last session after proponents of the bills were unable to document any problems with current law,” the group states.
Some critics of the bill have also pointed out that in the event of a school shooter, someone else with weapon could stop the shooter.
In an email to Cumberland School Committee Chair Raymond Salvatore, Pete Bilderback of RICAGV wrote, “The problem with this kind of thinking is that statistically it is a highly improbable outcome, especially in comparison to other more prosaic, but potentially deadly, results such as an unintentional weapon discharge, a gun falling into the wrong hands, or an argument at a sporting event or parent/teacher conference escalating into a shooting. Mass shootings in schools are rare events; accidents involving guns happen every day.”
The legislation that school committees are supporting upholds the current exceptions for the following sanctioned activities:
• Firearm instruction and safety courses
• Government-sponsored military-related programs, like ROTC
• Interscholastic shooting and/or marksmanship events
• Military history and firearms collection courses and/or programs
• The use of blank guns in theatrical and/or athletic events