Hopkinton council adopts resolution opposing proposed Rhode Island gun legislation

The Hopkinton Town Council on April 7 voted to adopt a resolution opposing proposed 2025 Rhode Island gun legislation, a measure sponsored by Councilor Burns that the council described as broadly restricting semi‑automatic firearms and imposing new local costs for enforcement and storage.

Councilor Burns, sponsor of the resolution, said the proposed bills would “infringe upon the rights of the people of the Town of Hopkinton and the people of the state of Rhode Island to keep and bear arms” and urged the council to send the resolution “as far and as wide as we can.” The motion passed with recorded yes votes during roll call. The council did not adopt any new local policing measures as part of the action.

The resolution frames the council’s opposition around constitutional and practical concerns. It cites the Second Amendment and references U.S. Supreme Court rulings mentioned in the meeting—District of Columbia v. Heller and McDonald v. Chicago—and says the measures would create “unfunded mandates upon local government” including costs to store firearms seized under new state requirements.

Public comment at the meeting included both support for and opposition to the council’s action. Resident Jean Arthur told the council, “No one is going to take away your rifle or gun,” while urging members to reconsider their stance on assault weapons and to study the bills’ text. Another resident, Gary Williams, recommended seeking a negotiated compromise rather than passing a broad local resolution; he noted that some of the bills’ language defines items such as threaded barrels and magazine capacities.

Council discussion touched on legal and practical limits of local control. Council members said the resolution is intended as a statement to state legislators and the governor rather than a change in local law. The council directed the town clerk to forward the resolution electronically to Hopkinton’s state legislators and to the governor’s office, per the text read into the record.

Votes and formal action: the council moved and seconded adoption of the resolution and carried the motion by roll call. The record shows proponents and opponents spoke during the public comment period; no separate amendment to the resolution was made at the meeting.

The council’s statement places Hopkinton among other municipalities that have passed similar local resolutions in response to pending state proposals. The matter remains at the state level; the resolution asks state legislators and the governor to reconsider or modify the bills it opposes.

Looking ahead, councilors and members of the public said they expect continued discussion as specific bills move through the General Assembly and encouraged constituents to follow hearings and contact state representatives.