§ 11-47-8.1. Modification of semi-automatic weapon. (a) It shall be unlawful for any person within this state to modify any semi-automatic weapon such that it can shoot, is designed to shoot, or can be readily restored to shoot full-automatic fire with a single pull or hold of the trigger. The possession of such a modified semi-automatic weapon shall be evidence of guilty knowledge by the person having possession that the semi-automatic weapon was modified. Every person violating the provisions of this subsection shall, upon conviction, be punished by imprisonment for not less than one year nor more than ten (10) years, or by a fine up to ten thousand dollars ($10,000), or both, and, except for a first conviction under this section, shall not be afforded the provisions of suspension or deferment of sentence, nor a probation.

(b) This section shall not apply to the purchase of any such device by the Rhode Island state police, by any city or town police department of the state of Rhode Island, or by the department of environmental management for display as a part of a firearms training course under its auspices.

(c) Weapons otherwise considered legal that are found modified by devices pursuant to this section shall be subject to forfeiture pursuant to § 11-47-22.

(d) This section shall not be construed to prohibit use of a replacement trigger or trigger components designed and intended to decrease the weight of the trigger pull or to improve the quality and release of the trigger pull in a semi-automatic weapon.

History of Section. (P.L. 2018, ch. 5, § 2; P.L. 2018, ch. 8, § 2.)