H7755 / S2726 (2026): Mandatory Firearm Safety Training (Responsible Firearm Purchasing Act)

House Bill 7755 (Reps. Boylan, Tanzi, Dawson, and others) and Senate Bill 2726 (Sens. McKenney, Bissaillon, Britto, and others) — titled the "Responsible Firearm Purchasing Act" — would require safety training before firearm purchase or possession in Rhode Island^[1].

What the Bills Would Require

All applicants would need to complete a basic firearm safety training course before purchasing or possessing a firearm. The following exemptions apply:

• Active-duty law enforcement officers
• Active-duty and retired military personnel
• Individuals who already hold a concealed carry permit (which requires training)
• Licensed security professionals

S2726 goes further than H7755 by expanding the purchase process framework from pistols and revolvers to all firearms. It would also repeal the separate sections governing rifle and shotgun sales, creating a unified process for all firearm types.

Relationship to Existing Requirements

Rhode Island already requires a DEM Handgun Safety Course for handgun purchases. These bills would extend training requirements to long guns (rifles and shotguns), which currently have no training prerequisite. The bills also add a possession component — meaning inheriting a firearm or receiving one as a gift would trigger the training requirement.

Current Status

H7755 was heard by the House Judiciary Committee on April 8, 2026, and S2726 was heard by the Senate Judiciary Committee during the same April 8-14, 2026 hearing window. Both bills were held for further study. The 2026 regular session adjourned sine die on June 11, 2026, without passage of either bill. Both would need to be reintroduced in a future session^[2].