Leading RI Gun Control Advocate Says Votes Are There, It’s Up to Leaders
Thursday, May 27, 2021
Just 90 minutes after a gunman killed 9 men and women in San Jose, Linda Finn of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence appeared on GoLocal LIVE to discuss what the group says is the need for the passage of critical legislation in Rhode Island.
Finn says the majority of members of the House and Senate support the passage of legislation and that it is critical for supporters to focus pressure on Senate President Dominick Ruggerio and Speaker of the House Joe Shekarchi.
Just two weeks ago, 11 were wounded and three were murdered in a four-day period in Providence and Pawtucket.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTThere are three major bills that have a strong potential for passage in 2021-- legislation that bans high capacity magazines, another bill that places restrictions on straw purchasers, and legislation to prohibit guns in schools.
Legislative Battle
On the legislation to limit magazine capacity to ten rounds, Finn said she believes Speaker of the House Joe Shekarchi and Senate President Dominick Ruggerio are “open to it.”
“I think [Shekarchi] understands there is support in the chamber for the bill,” said Finn.
“The Senate Majority and leader and the Senate President are sponsors of some these bills,” Finn added. “The Majority Leader is sponsoring the straw purchaser bill and the Senate President is the sponsor of the schools bill, to keep guns out of our schools. The Whip in the Senate is co-sponsor of most of the bills we support — I believe there is good support there.”
“Certainly the gun violence has increased to a point that we have to do something,” she added. “We can’t just keep sitting back and hoping something’s going to happen to change the trajectory.”
“Our organization started in 2013 after the Sandy Hook incident and we have been working for the past nine years to try and pass legislation which is evidence-based and would help reduce some of these shootings. And they’ve been languishing,” said Finn. “We’ve had survivors of these incidents come to the State House and testify year after year. We’ve had medical professionals. We’ve had law enforcement — people directly impacted by the gun violence try and advocate for some changes. And it hasn’t really happened — it’s happened piecemeal.”
"We’re more optimistic this year that the package of bills the Attorney General has introduced…has some opportunity to get passed this year. I think the violence in Providence — people are very very nervous, upset,” she said. “The number of incidents has increased dramatically, and not only that we’ve increased the sales of guns in RI because people can buy assault weapons and high capacity magazines where they can’t buy them in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York. We’re still selling AR-15s and AK-47s and we’re just trying to stop that, because we know the supply of guns is how they’re getting in the streets.”
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