PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — The Rhode Island House Judiciary Committee will hear several gun bills Wednesday, including a bill that would ban the sale of assault weapons. The bill is drawing criticism from both gun rights activists, and the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence. If passed, the Rhode Island Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025 would ban the ban the sale, purchase and possession of assault weapons. The bill calls for a penalty of up to 10 years in prison, or a fine of up to $10,000. Anyone who has an assault weapon before the legislation would take effect would need to register the weapon with the police department in the city or town in which they are a resident. Outside of the assault weapons ban, the committee will also hear bills on juvenile background checks, arming police at public colleges in the state and out of state permits. A coalition of gun rights advocates that include RI Gun Rights and RI Revolver and Rifle Association will rally Wednesday against the assault weapons ban. In a release, the coalition said the bill changes the definition of an assault weapon to include semi-automatic weapons, which the bill defines as a “firearm which fires a single projectile for each single pull of the trigger and is self-reloading or automatically chambers a round, cartridge, or bullet.” RI Gun Rights said this will lead to the ban of shotguns, pistols and rifles. Their rally is at 2 p.m. at the state house. The Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence is also speaking out, as they take issue with the bill’s definition of assault weapon. A statement from the group reads in part: This bill is clearly meant to detract from the momentum and support the assault weapons ban has. Senator Ciccone’s bill only bans machine guns, which in fact are already prohibited by law. The group also said that they look forward to working with the bill’s authors to get a better definition in the bill. Categories: News, Rhode Island ...read more read less