Firearms on School Grounds (Section 11-47-60)

Rhode Island General Laws Section 11-47-60^[1] prohibits any person from possessing a firearm or other weapon on the grounds of any public or private elementary or secondary school, including portions of buildings, stadiums, or other structures being used for a school-sponsored activity and school-provided transportation. The statute does not apply to colleges, universities, or junior colleges. This prohibition applies regardless of whether the person holds a License to Carry a Concealed Weapon (LCCW) issued under Section 11-47-11 or Section 11-47-18.

Scope of the Prohibition

"School grounds" encompasses buildings, athletic facilities, parking lots, and any other property owned or controlled by a school for educational purposes. The prohibition applies on school property at all times, not only during school hours or school events. A timing condition applies only to buildings, stadiums, or other structures that were being used for a school-sponsored activity at the time of the violation, and the prohibition also extends to riding school-provided transportation. Unlike the federal Gun-Free School Zones Act (18 U.S.C. Section 922(q))^[2], which creates a 1,000-foot perimeter zone, the Rhode Island statute is limited to the school property itself.

Penalties

Violation of Section 11-47-60 is a felony. A person convicted of possessing a firearm on school grounds shall be sentenced to imprisonment of not less than one year and not more than five years, or shall be fined not less than five hundred dollars ($500) and not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000)^[1]. The penalty is disjunctive, meaning the court may impose either imprisonment or a fine. The one-year term is a floor only when the court chooses imprisonment, and a fine-only sentence is available, so the offense does not carry an unconditional mandatory minimum. Section 11-47-60 does not provide for forfeiture of the firearm. The court may also order revocation of the person's concealed carry permit if one was held at the time of the offense.

Mandatory Notification Requirements

Section 11-47-60.2^[3] establishes a notification chain. Any person who has reasonable cause to know that someone is in violation of the statute must notify the principal or a designee. The principal or designee must then immediately notify the student's parents and the local police, and turn any weapon over to the local law enforcement agency. A person who makes a report in good faith has immunity from civil liability. The statute does not impose a criminal penalty for failing to report.

Exceptions

The statute provides limited exceptions for persons exempt under Section 11-47-9, peace officers, retired law enforcement officers permitted to carry under Section 11-47-18(b) or the federal Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act, and individuals providing security services to a school under contract. It also exempts officially recognized and sanctioned school activities, including firearm instruction and safety courses, ROTC and other government-sponsored military programs, interscholastic shooting and marksmanship events, military history and firearms collection programs, and the use of blank guns in theatrical or athletic events. In addition, under Section 11-47-60(d) the prohibition does not apply to a firearm that is not loaded and is kept in a locked container or a locked rack in a motor vehicle. An LCCW holder may not carry a firearm on their person onto school grounds during student pickup or dropoff, but an unloaded firearm that remains secured in a locked container or locked rack in the vehicle falls within the subsection (d) exemption.