House passes Casey legislation requiring attorney general to report on cases involving firearms
STATE HOUSE — The House of Representatives today passed legislation introduced by Rep. Stephen M. Casey (D-Dist. 50, Woonsocket) that would require the office of the attorney general to issue a report containing the total number of cases with respect to charges involving a firearm in all Rhode Island courts.
The measure (2021-S 5727A) also calls for the report to include a list of cases with respect to charges involving a firearm which have been disposed of during the calendar year as well as the disposition of each case, the court docket number and the charge or charges associated with it. The bill amends an existing law requiring the attorney general to make annual reports on crimes involving guns that was sponsored by Representative Casey in 2017.
“I feel it’s very important that we make legislative decisions based on fact,” said Representative Casey. “This is an important way for this law to evolve, giving us more specific information about how guns are used in crimes. The people of Rhode Island deserve the truth. The more information we have — the types of guns used, whether serial numbers have been obliterated, whether ghost guns are being used — will help us to better understand the facts when crafting legislation.”
Among the specifics, the legislation calls for the reports to show whether the firearm at issue in each case was a rifle, semi-automatic rifle, shotgun, revolver, semi-automatic handgun, or miscellaneous firearm.
“This report will be available to the public and it will allow us as legislators to get the actual facts of what is happening here in Rhode Island, so that if we deem it necessary, we can make changes to our firearm laws,” said Representative Casey. “It took a lot of work with many entities including law enforcement and the attorney general’s office to get to this point.”
The measure now moves to the Senate, which has passed similar legislation (2021-S 0119A) introduced by Senate Minority Whip Jessica de la Cruz (R-Dist. 23, North Smithfield, Burrillville, Glocester).