H7754 (2026): Restricting Non-Resident Concealed Carry Permits

House Bill 7754, sponsored by Representatives Fogarty, Handy, Donovan, McEntee, and others, would remove the reciprocity-based pathway for non-resident concealed carry permits in Rhode Island^[1].

What the Bill Would Change

Under current law, a person 21 or older with a bona fide residence within the United States and a license or permit to carry issued by another state can apply to the licensing authority of a city or town for a Rhode Island permit. H7754 would remove that pathway, so an out-of-state permit would no longer be a basis for applying to a city or town licensing authority. This runs directly counter to S2153, which would expand reciprocity.

Impact on Non-Residents

Non-residents who regularly travel to or through Rhode Island while carrying would face new restrictions. The bill changes only the permit pathway in RIGL 11-47-11.

Current Status

H7754 was scheduled for hearing and/or consideration by the House Judiciary Committee on April 8, 2026, and the committee recommended that it be held for further study that day. Its competing bill, S2153, which proposed the opposite approach of expanding reciprocity, was held for further study on April 14, 2026. Neither H7754 nor S2153 passed before the House and Senate recessed on June 11, 2026, and neither chamber had met again as of October 15, 2026, so Rhode Island's non-resident carry rules are unchanged. Unless the General Assembly reconvenes before its term ends, the bill would need to be reintroduced in a future session^[2].