Rhode Island

Will RI gun owners have to give up their ‘assault weapons’ in 2026? What to know.

Published

2 months ago

March 17, 2026

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Will RI gun owners have to give up their ‘assault weapons’ in 2026? What to know.

Rhode Island lawmakers are proposing a ban on the possession of firearms defined as “assault weapons.”
Current owners would have until December 31, 2026, to sell, transfer, or destroy the prohibited firearms.
The state’s law defines “assault weapons” based on specific features rather than by make or model.

Rhode Island lawmakers are once again attempting to ban the outright possession of a group of firearms they define as “assault weapons” after a controversial ban on the sale and manufacture of those weapons passed in 2025.

Put simply: The bills would add the word “possess” to this sentence, already in law: “No person shall manufacture, sell, offer to sell, transfer, or purchase a prohibited firearm, except as otherwise authorized.”

When would it go into effect?: Rhode Islanders who own a prohibited firearm purchased before July 1, 2026 would have until Dec. 31, 2026 to destroy, sell or transfer the firearm to a federally licensed firearms dealer or an individual who can lawfully possess that firearm.

Why July 1? That’s when the ban on the sale, manufacture or purchase of assault weapons goes into effect in Rhode Island, so no new assault weapons would be purchased in the state after that date.

Want to learn more? Read more about the proposal below:

What do the bills to ban the possession of assault weapons say?

The two bills, H8073 in the House and S2710 in the Senate, would rewrite the current law to say: “No person shall posses, manufacture, sell, offer to sell, transfer, or purchase a prohibited firearm, except as otherwise authorized under this section.”

It would give any Rhode Islander who “lawfully possesses a prohibited firearm prior to July 1, 2026” an opportunity to sell, offer to sell, or transfer their prohibited firearm to a federally licensed firearm dealer, or to an individual outside the state who may lawfully possess such weapon, by Dec. 31, 2026.

What is the punishment? Convictions for violating the law would come with a punishment of:

Up to 10 years in prison or
A fine up to $10,000
Prohibited firearm would be forfeited

What is considered an assault weapon in Rhode Island, by law?

Rather than focus on prohibiting specific makes and models of firearms, Rhode Island’s assault weapons ban relies on particular features of a firearm to determine whether it qualifies as an “assault weapon.”

Here’s the breakdown of prohibited features for each type of firearm:

Shotguns:

A semi-automatic shotgun that has a fixed magazine capacity exceeding six (6) rounds
Any shotgun with a revolving cylinder

Semi-automatic rifles:

A semi-automatic rifle with a fixed magazine capacity exceeding ten (10) rounds
A semi-automatic rifle that has the ability to accept a detachable magazine, and has at least one of the following features:
- A folding or telescoping stock
- A bayonet mount
- A grenade launcher
- A shroud attached to the barrel or that partially or completely encircles the barrel, allowing the bearer to hold the firearm with the non-trigger hand without being burned, except an extension of the stock along the bottom of the barrel, which does not encircle or substantially encircle the barrel
- A pistol grip or thumbhole stock
- A flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor

Semi-automatic pistols:

A semi-automatic pistol that has a fixed magazine capacity exceeding ten (10) rounds

Any semi-automatic firearm:

A semi-automatic firearm that has the capacity to accept a belt ammunition feeding device

What is a semi-automatic firearm? The law defines it as any 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.

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Rhode Island

12 News/Emerson Poll: Foulkes leads McKee by double-digits in RI gov primary

Published

4 hours ago

May 19, 2026

Press Room

12 News/Emerson Poll: Foulkes leads McKee by double-digits in RI gov primary

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Helena Foulkes has opened up a 20-point lead over incumbent Dan McKee in the Democratic primary for governor, with just three months left before the first ballots are cast, an exclusive 12 News/Emerson College poll released Tuesday shows.

The survey of 565 likely Democratic primary voters finds Foulkes at 40% and McKee at 20%, with 37% undecided and 3% saying they support someone else. The 12 News/Emerson poll is the third survey in the last two months showing McKee down by double-digits.

“The race for governor hasn’t moved in six months,” 12 News political analyst Joe Fleming said. “Helena Foulkes is still holding a commanding lead. McKee has done nothing that’s moved the needle to close that gap. And he’s running out of time very quickly.”

McKee — who is seeking to extend his tenure as governor to 10 years — is viewed unfavorably by 60% of all voters and favorably by only 21%. McKee’s numbers are better but still negative among likely primary voters, 50% of whom view him unfavorably. Among registered Democrats only, McKee’s unfavorable rating is 43%.

A key challenge for McKee: he is underwater by 14 points among undecided primary voters, with 26% viewing him favorably, 26% viewing him neutrally, and 40% viewing him unfavorably.

“If you’re being viewed unfavorably by the undecided voters, how are you going to get their votes?” Fleming said. “He’s had the last five or six months as the governor who’s out there all the time to try to move the numbers — the numbers have never moved.”

(Story continues below.)

Foulkes, a former CVS executive who placed a close second to McKee after a late surge in the 2022 primary, remains less of a known quantity to voters despite her lead in the primary. Her numbers among all voters are slightly negative, with 27% viewing her favorably and 29% viewing her unfavorably, but over 40% of voters either view her neutrally or have never heard of her.

Unlike McKee, however, Foulkes is viewed positively by likely primary voters, at 35% favorable and 23% unfavorable, though even among that group 42% express no opinion about her. Her numbers are similar among registered Democrats.

Fleming noted Foulkes has a significant financial advantage to reach voters who haven’t formed an opinion yet, with $3.6 million in cash on hand compared with McKee’s $1.4 million. “She can spend it over the next three and a half months,” he said.

Less than three hours before release of the 12 News/Emerson poll, the McKee campaign announced that it had conducted its own survey last week. But the campaign didn’t reveal whether McKee was behind or ahead, and the governor told 12 News on Tuesday, “I don’t have those numbers.”

McKee’s campaign poll tested a variety of attacks on Foulkes, and his campaign released a memo arguing that the attacks would shift some voters against her. The Foulkes campaign did not immediately respond.

The 12 News/Emerson poll was conducted May 14-16 and surveyed 1,000 likely Rhode Island voters using text-to-web and online panel interviews. The overall credibility interval, similar to a poll’s margin of error, is plus or minus 3 percentage points, rising to 4.1 points for the Democratic primary subset.

McKee, Foulkes both lead November election

Yet the 12 News/Emerson poll also shows that if McKee finds a way to turn around his campaign and defeat Foulkes in the primary, he is in position to win another four years as governor.

Among all 1,000 likely voters surveyed, McKee leads a hypothetical November election matchup with 33%, against 22% each for the Republican nominee and independent Ken Block, while 17% are undecided and 6% are supporting someone else.

(Story continues below.)

Foulkes fares even better in the general election matchup, with 39% support, followed by the Republican nominee at 21% and Block at 19%, with 18% undecided. Two Republicans, Aaron Guckian and Elaine Pelino, are vying for the GOP nomination.

Block, a Barrington businessman who ran for governor as a third-party candidate in 2010 and a Republican candidate in 2014, pulls votes from across the political spectrum. In a race against McKee, Block wins 16% of Republicans, 14% of Democrats and 30% of independents.

“Ken Block is going to divide Republican votes,” Fleming said. “So if he’s dividing the Republican vote, it’s going to be very difficult for a Republican or an independent to win the race over whoever the Democratic nominee is.”

(Story continues below.)

Block is better known than Guckian, who was the 2022 GOP nominee for lieutenant governor. Among all voters, Block is viewed favorably by 19% and unfavorably by 23%, with the rest neutral or unfamiliar. Guckian is viewed favorably by 10% and unfavorably by 15%, but nearly half of voters have never heard of him.

Most voters on the fence in AG primary

The 12 News/Emerson poll also tested the Democratic primary for attorney general, which is an open contest since incumbent Peter Neronha is term-limited.

The race is wide open.

The survey shows former R.I. Cannabis Control Commission chair Kim Ahern and Warwick state Rep. Joe Solomon Jr. tied at 9% each, trailed slightly by former Neronha policy chief Keith Hoffmann and Barrington state Rep. Jason Knight, both of whom are at 5%. But almost three out of four voters — 72% — are undecided.

Fleming said all the candidates need to continue raising money to get their message out to voters.

“What could help in this election is the Democratic Party endorsement,” Fleming said. “A lot of times an endorsement doesn’t mean that much, but right here you have four candidates running, and none of them are well known at all. If you have the party endorsement, that might pick you up 4% or 5% of the vote.”

More results from the poll will be released tonight on 12 News at 10 and 11 p.m.

Ted Nesi (tnesi@wpri.com) is a Target 12 investigative reporter and 12 News politics/business editor. He co-hosts Newsmakers and writes Nesi’s Notes on Saturdays. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter, Bluesky and LinkedIn.

Tim White (twhite@wpri.com) is Target 12 managing editor and chief investigative reporter and host of Newsmakers for 12 News. Connect with him on Facebook, Instagram, X/Twitter and Bluesky.

Alexandra Leslie contributed to this report.

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Rhode Island

RI Philharmonic announces 2026 Summer Pops theme, schedule

Published

17 hours ago

May 19, 2026

Press Room

RI Philharmonic announces 2026 Summer Pops theme, schedule

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — The Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra on Monday announced the schedule and theme for its Summer Pops program, an annual series of free outdoor concerts featuring well-known songs performed in a classical style.

This year’s show, “Outstanding Overtures,” features beloved introductory tunes from theater, film and classical music.

“There’s something magical about an overture,” said David Beauchesne, executive director of the Rhode Island Philharmonic Orchestra & Music School. “It sets the stage, stirs the imagination, and invites you into a story.”

The program includes overtures ranging from “William Tell” and “The Marriage of Figaro” to “Phantom of the Opera,” “West Side Story,” “Mary Poppins,” and “Wicked.”

“Experiencing these masterpieces performed by a full symphony orchestra in a relaxed, outdoor setting is something truly special,” Beauchesne said. “And best of all, it’s completely free.”