The Rhode Island Senate is actively advancing the Assault Weapons Ban Act of 2025 (H5436A / S0359), legislation that directly conflicts with binding U.S. Supreme Court precedent under:

District of Columbia v. Heller (2008)

New York State Rifle & Pistol Association v. Bruen (2022)

Passage of this bill will trigger immediate federal litigation, force Rhode Island taxpayers to fund years of constitutional legal battles, and place state officials into prolonged legal exposure.

This fight is no longer simply about policy — it is about:

Due process violations

Senate procedural abuses

Legislation moving without proper Judiciary Committee oversight

Legally vulnerable bills designed to score political points while risking federal court rejection

Every senator voting to advance this bill knowingly assumes personal and political responsibility for the constitutional, fiscal, and legal fallout that will follow.

We call on the Rhode Island Senate:

✅ Halt all further action on H5436A / S0359
✅ Allow the Judiciary Committee to fulfill its full constitutional review obligations
✅ Protect Rhode Island citizens from years of expensive, unnecessary litigation

This legislation cannot withstand constitutional scrutiny — and Rhode Island taxpayers should not be forced to fund its failure.