AN ACT RELATING TO CRIMINAL OFFENSES -- WEAPONS

HB 6042 exempts certain U.S. federal employees (who are already authorized by federal law to carry concealed firearms) from needing a Rhode Island state license to carry pistols or revolvers, either visibly or concealed. It amends two existing sections of Rhode Island's weapons law (§ 11-47-9.1 and § 11-47-35.1) to explicitly include these federal employees in the list of exempt individuals, alongside police officers and other authorized personnel. The bill does not change who may carry firearms under federal law but removes a state licensing requirement for those already cleared federally. It would take effect upon passage, though it is currently under further study by the House Judiciary Committee.