Skip to content

Everytown, Rhode Island Moms Demand Action Release Poll That Shows 80 Percent of Rhode Islanders Support Bill to Keep Guns Away from Domestic Abusers

4.16.2015

Poll Shows Overwhelming Majority of Rhode Islanders Back S. 0503 and H. 5655, Which Will Prohibit Domestic Abusers from Possessing Guns

Providence, RI – Everytown for Gun Safety Action Fund and Rhode Island Moms Demand Action today released a new poll showing an overwhelming majority of Rhode Islanders support a bill to make it illegal for those convicted of domestic abuse or those under a domestic violence protective order to possess guns.

The poll comes as Rhode Island’s legislature considers two bills—S. 0503, and its companion bill, H. 5655—which will prohibit domestic abusers from possessing guns. Rhode Island Moms support the legislation, because “it’s just common sense that people convicted of domestic violence crimes and under protective orders shouldn’t possess guns.”

Among the poll’s findings:


  • 80 percent of Rhode Islanders support a proposal to change state law so that a person convicted of domestic violence or a person subject to a domestic violence protective order cannot buy or possess a gun.
  • 83 percent of Rhode Islanders believe people convicted of a domestic violence crime should not be allowed to buy or possess a gun and 82 percent believe people subject to a domestic violence protective order should not be allowed to buy or possess a gun.
  • 76 percent of Rhode Islanders support a proposal to change state law so that a person convicted of domestic violence or a person subject to a domestic violence protective order has to turn in any guns they already own.
  • 72 percent of Rhode Islanders believe it’s possible to protect the Second Amendment while also keeping guns away from dangerous people.

“The poll shows that keeping guns away from domestic abusers is something four out of five Rhode Islanders support,” said Jennifer Smith Boylan, volunteer Chapter Leader with the Rhode Island Chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. “It’s not surprising that an overwhelming majority of Rhode Islanders rally behind this common sense proposal. States as diverse as Texas, Connecticut, and 20 others have already taken similar steps to protect domestic violence victims from armed abusers. We urge our Rhode Island lawmakers to get up to speed.”