The fight for sensible gun control in Rhode Island grows larger

30 More Rhode Island Organizations Join the Campaign for Gun Violence Prevention RI

The Campaign for Gun Violence Prevention RI (CGVPRI) is proud to announce the addition of thirty-two additional organizations as campaign partners this legislative session as they push for sensible gun safety legislation in both the House and Senate.

CGVPRI is supporting a legislative package of common-sense gun safety bills that have been endorsed by the office of the Governor, Attorney General, Secretary of State and General Treasurer. These bills include:

Limiting magazine capacity to 10 rounds
SB414 by Senator Goldin (and 20 co-sponsors)
HB5554 by Rep. Caldwell (and 40 co-sponsors)

Regulating military-style assault weapons
SB415 by Senator Miller (and 20 co-sponsors)
HB5556 by Rep. Caldwell (and 40 co-sponsors)

Keeping guns out of K-12 schools
SB73 by Sen. President Ruggerio (and 20 co-sponsors)
HB555 by Rep. Kazarian (and 40 co-sponsors)

Requiring safe firearm storage
SB406 by Senator Seveney
HB5553 by Rep. Caldwell (and 42 co-sponsors)

Cracking down on straw buyers
SB416 by Senator Miller
HB5386 by Rep. Knight

Supporters of passage of this legislation include:

1. Rhode Island Federation of Teacher and Healthcare Professionals
2. Rhode Island Medical Society
3. RI Academy of Family Physicians
4. RI Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
5. American College of Physicians- RI Chapter
6. Neighborhood Health Plan of RI
7. East Bay Community Action Program
8. Planned Parenthood of Southern New England
9. RI Coalition Against Gun Violence*
10. Everytown for Gun Safety*
11. Giffords: Courage to Fight Gun Violence*
12. Moms Demand Action RI*
13. NAACP Providence*
14. RI NOW*
15. RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence*
16. The Nonviolence Institute*
17. League of Women Voters RI*
18. One Gun Gone*
19. Guns Into Plowshares*
20. Thoughts Prayers Action*
21. Bally Humanufactured
22. City Kitty Veterinary Care for Cats
23. ONE Neighborhood Builders
24. Community Care Alliance
25. Family Service of RI
26. States United to Prevent Gun Violence
27. Stop Handgun Violence
28. Newtown Action Alliance
29. #300 Women
30. East Bay Citizens for Peace
31. RI Antiwar Committee
32. RI Democratic Women’s Caucus
33. Sakonnet Peace Alliance
34. Esscence T. Christal Memorial Foundation
35. Womxn Project
36. RI Association of School Committees
37. RI School Superintendents Association
38. School of Social Work at RIC
39. RI State Council of Churches
40. Bishops Against Gun Violence
41. National Council of Jewish Women
42. Providence Presbyterian Church
43. Team Enough RI
44. Providence Student Union
45. Members of the Faculty of the School of Social Work at Rhode Island College

 “Guns to Plowshares represents congregations across Rhode Island, across races, across religions who all agree – we need more than thoughts and prayers from our legislators.  Thoughts and prayers – and working with families devastated by gun violence – that is our work.  Gun safety legislation is the work of our legislators and it is long overdue.”   

“Like the vast majority of Rhode Islanders, we support gun safety legislation, and have for many years.  Everyone knows – it’s not right for ministers and rabbis and priests, for any faith leaders to be training ourselves and our people to respond to the nightmare scenario that a disgruntled or prejudiced or unwell shooter has ready access to massive firepower with which to threaten or attack our communities. It’s not right that  this can happen in our cities and towns.  It’s not right that it can happen in our schools. It’s not right that gunfire is part of life in some neighborhoods, that children cannot play outside there, that families live in fear of gun violence every day.  It’s not right and it cannot continue.  We call on our legislators to enact the will of the people and pass the proposed gun safety legislation now, for the protection and safety of all Rhode Islanders .”

– Rev. Liz Lerner Maclay, Senior Minister of the First Unitarian Church in Providence and Founder, Guns to Plowshares Clergy Alliance.

“No race/ethnicity, sexual orientation, or religion can escape the reality and fear of gun violence. But we see gun violence prevention as very much a feminist issue. For example, approximately 4.5 million living American women have been threatened with a gun by an intimate partner. Additionally, a woman is five times more likely to be shot and killed in a domestic violence situation if a gun is present. These are just a few of the frightening statistics. In addition to domestic violence, (mass) shooters whose hate is rooted in misogyny have targeted women.”

– Hilary Levey Friedman, President of the Rhode Island chapter of the National Organization for Women.

“We’re so proud to fight for these lifesaving bills alongside advocates from every walk of life across our state. This package of common-sense, broadly popular, long-overdue measures will keep dangerous assault weapons and high-capacity magazines off our streets and guns out of our schools, combat gun trafficking, and more – Rhode Island will be a safer state when they’re passed. We applaud our General Officers and our legislators in the General Assembly for their tireless efforts to pass this historic package into law and protect us all from gun violence.”

– Anne Geertman, a volunteer leader with the Rhode Island chapter of Moms Demand Action.

CGVPRI looks forward to working with the General Assembly and our General Officers to pass these sensible bills to help address the increasing problem of gun violence in our communities in our state and across the country.