Opinion

We can't let RI's 'assault weapons' ban become the US gun seizure blueprint

Rhode Island bill is silent on how the state would handle firearms it makes illegal overnight

By John Commerford Fox News

Published May 4, 2026 5:00am EDT

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Rhode Island lawmakers are back at it — pushing a sweeping gun ban that should set off alarm bells far beyond the Ocean State. Their latest proposal, SB 2710, would outlaw the possession of some of the most commonly owned firearms in America, targeting semi-automatic rifles, pistols and shotguns that millions of law-abiding citizens rely on for self-defense, sport and tradition.

What makes this proposal especially alarming is not just what it bans, but how it leaves enforcement hanging in the air. The bill is conspicuously silent on how the state intends to deal with currently owned firearms that would suddenly become illegal overnight.

That silence is not reassuring. It opens the door to exactly the kind of heavy-handed enforcement Americans have long rejected — the forced surrender or even door-to-door confiscation of legally acquired property.

For those trying to comply with forced confiscation, the so-called "sales option" is no option at all. Lawful owners would be forced to sell their firearms to federally licensed dealers or qualified out-of-state buyers by the end of the year, triggering a rushed........

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