Paintball laws in RI

[IronCore]

Hey all,
I just came across this on pbn and wanted to know what your opinion is on the matter.
Personally I think this is a good thing and a step in the right direction. Yes, I'm from Rhode Island, and no, I'm not a minor, so it doesn't really apply to me, but still...

http://www.rilin.state.ri.us/billtext/billtext06/housetext06/h7322.pdf

The basic gist of it is that it states to transport a marker, it must be ungased, and not in the passanger compartment of a vehicle. Also, before a minor can purchase a paintball gun, they must take a saftey corse (I assume at a paintball field as it doesn't really specify). Once they take the course, they receive a signed certificate which they will need to show to the vendor before they can purcase the marker.
Opinions wanted....

I think you should contact the guys at paintball association http://paintball-players.org/guns" or " markers" means a weapon powered by compressed gas or other means which propel marble size paint and water capsules at high rates of speed not exceeding 300 feet per second at targets or other persons.

(b) Paintball markers guns may only be used in areas designated for paintball use and protective clothing and eye wear must be worn at all times by individuals participating in war simulation games. Designated areas shall either be enclosed or 400-feet away from the property line

(c) Paintball markers guns when transported or not otherwise in use must be unloaded with the gas cylinder separated from the gun. When transported by motor vehicle paintball guns must not be in the passenger compartments. When transported by foot the paintball gun must be carried unloaded and in closed cases.

(d) All minor children and parents or guardians of children who wish to buy paintball marker guns must take a safety course from an approved and regulated paintball field with an operational experience of not less than 2 years and has no incident of unsafe conduct. The safety course shall "gun safety" course which would include proper assembly, disassembly and proper use of paintball guns. The gun safety course must be certified and a certificate of completion must be presented to the seller of paintball markerguns before a purchase can be made by or for a minor

good luck and keep us up to date

[OneEyedPimp]

guns" or " markers" means a weapon powered by compressed gas or other means which propel marble size paint and water capsules at high rates of speed not exceeding 300 feet per second at targets or other persons.
(b) Paintball markers guns may only be used in areas designated for paintball use and protective clothing and eye wear must be worn at all times by individuals participating in war simulation games. Designated areas shall either be enclosed or 400-feet away from the property line

(c) Paintball markers guns when transported or not otherwise in use must be unloaded with the gas cylinder separated from the gun. When transported by motor vehicle paintball guns must not be in the passenger compartments. When transported by foot the paintball gun must be carried unloaded and in closed cases.

(d) All minor children and parents or guardians of children who wish to buy paintball marker guns must take a safety course from an approved and regulated paintball field with an operational experience of not less than 2 years and has no incident of unsafe conduct. The safety course shall "gun safety" course which would include proper assembly, disassembly and proper use of paintball guns. The gun safety course must be certified and a certificate of completion must be presented to the seller of paintball markerguns before a purchase can be made by or for a minor

Underlined is what should be removed.

[IronCore]

Underlined is what should be removed.

I couldnt agree with you more but we need a law inorder to charge the 1% demented members of our society, who believes that welting non participating weaklings is fun or gung-ho Mr. John Doe with a morbid curiosity.

[slade]

I couldnt agree with you more but we need a law inorder to charge the 1% demented members of our society, who believes that welting non participating weaklings is fun or gung-ho Mr. John Doe with a morbid curiosity.

...but thats covered by assault laws.

[OneEyedPimp]

...but thats covered by assault laws.

See, I am not the only one who gets it.

[IronCore]

...but thats covered by assault laws.

because people say something like..."I bought it over the counter, its not regulated by Uncle Sam its not considered dangerous. Does it say in our law that this should be considered dangerous?", "it was an accident, I didnt know that it would shoot and when it started shooting it wouldnt stop", "it doesnt hurt that much, its like getting slap with a wet towel, its part of growing up...didnt you get slap with a wet towel before?"

edit: I cant find what assault really is (got any lawyer here somewhere?) from what I could gather assault is to threaten somebody with bodily harm, like telling somebody that your about to rip his arm off and beat him with it.
Usually misguided paintball acts are like fun, so it might fall under random violence.

[OneEyedPimp]

because people say something like..."I bought it over the counter, its not regulated by Uncle Sam its not considered dangerous. Does it say in our law that this should be considered dangerous?", "it was an accident, I didnt know that it would shoot and when it started shooting it wouldnt stop", "it doesnt hurt that much, its like getting slap with a wet towel, its part of growing up...didnt you get slap with a wet towel before?"

Whaaaaat?

[IronCore]

Whaaaaat?

...so you know somebody that got charged with common assult of a paintball?

ok so I found one, looks like New England

http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=13271745&BRD=1713&PAG=461&dept_id=24491&rfi=6

They considered the paintball marker as a firearm and they got felony assault, actually shouldnt that have been battery?

[dave p]

If you're waiting for the government to pass laws so your kids will be safe, you shouldn't have said kids in the first place.

It is already considered assault to shoot at someone who is not playing and wearing protective gear. So now you want to make it MORE illegal?

That's like a hate crime. It's already illegal to kill someone, but for some reason, you should be punished more harshly if you dislike your victim? It's ridiculous. How many murderers like their victims to begin with? It's feel good BS, all of it.

If parents would take care of their damned kids, teach them right from wrong, and tan their asses when they prove they haven't learned, we wouldn't have a lot of the problems we have now. Instead they rely on public schools and divine intervention to teach their kids, and then are totally incredulous that their kids are five kinds of screwed up.

Also, just an FYI, the entire world as we know it is dangerous. Just because you have a child, does not give you the right to dictate what everyone else does to protect their welfare.

If it's your kid, and someone has to be put out or tolerate an inconvenience, it should be you.

Flame me if you like, but you know I'm right.

my kids were not involved or present for the incident. its not about making my kids safe. dont you ever tell me i should or should not have children or how to raise them. thats none of your freakin business , you know nothing about me, or how i raise my kids. im not on some crusade to save my kids.

second of all, i can feel any way i want about this, not how you want me to feel. i ran in the streets as a kid, i dont need you to tell me how dangerous the world is. i highly doubt you know much more about the ways of the world than i do.

i could go on. no i dont know you are right, and again dont you ever tell me i should not have kids and i dont know how to raise them.

[Lohman446]

See, I am not the only one who gets it.

But you would have earlier thrown out those laws (many assault and vandalism laws were passed after 1912) as unconstitutional.

[shartley]

[Lohman446]

You can _never_ take what the supreme court says as final face value. The supreme court is meant to rule weather a law violates the constitution. They are _not_ supposed to decide what the constitution protects/doesnt protect. Once you come to that realization, almost every law made from 1912 on is pretty much against your "unalienable" rights. Now if you want to participate in following these laws that is fine, but no one has the right to tell me what I can and can't do with my life.

Now, if this law does go into affect, in Rhode Island a paintball gun is a weapon, protected under the second. If it does not, it is not a weapon, therefore protected under the ninth.

You know, the funny thing is, I'm with you about halfway through the argument. The powers of the federal government are enumerated in the Constitution and they should have no more.

However, our arguments depart suddenly when you get to the state or local level. As long as the laws being made at that level do not violate the Constitution then they are valid. The State, through power derived by the people and democratically elected representetives does have the authority to make laws, and enforce them. This is a a State law, not a federal one, does not appear to violate any clause of the Constitution, and is put before a democratically elected body for consideration. It is also open to the comment of the people through those representatives. I'm sorry, but to argue that the state does not have the power to set and enforce laws for the good of the people is not a valid argument. Now, there are problems in this laws wording, but to insist that you must carry a paintball marker degassed and unloaded does not present an undo burden to those who must do it.

[Lohman446]

See, I like the intent of the law, both in consideration of transport and designated playing areas. Though I do not like the wording I am highly concerned at the possible outcomes (accidental, not already criminal) of playing in a public, even if remote, area. I have often enough not degassed my own marker when transporting in my trunk, but do not see an issue with requiring it, it just makes life easier frankly. I want an officer walking up to a vehicle full of kids and ready to use paintball markers able to do something about it (though I'm sure that may only be issuing a warning) without waiting for them to shoot at someone or something.

Its on of the few cases of a law that I see as having some possible use in real life.

[CoolHand]

my kids were not involved or present for the incident. its not about making my kids safe. dont you ever tell me i should or should not have children or how to raise them. thats none of your freakin business , you know nothing about me, or how i raise my kids. im not on some crusade to save my kids.

second of all, i can feel any way i want about this, not how you want me to feel. i ran in the streets as a kid, i dont need you to tell me how dangerous the world is. i highly doubt you know much more about the ways of the world than i do.

i could go on. no i dont know you are right, and again dont you ever tell me i should not have kids and i dont know how to raise them.

Ah yes the ever popular internet comeback.

"You don't know me, yada yada, none of your business, yada yada, I do as I please, yada yada, know more than you ever will, yada yada, have kids if I want to, blah."

You could have just said "Nuh-Uh!!!!"

Would have been just as effective.

[dave p]

Ah yes the ever popular internet comeback.

"You don't know me, yada yada, none of your business, yada yada, I do as I please, yada yada, know more than you ever will, yada yada, have kids if I want to, blah."

You could have just said "Nuh-Uh!!!!"

Would have been just as effective.

1)I really dont need to qualify my self for you
2)You know nothing about me, my parenting or whats in my head
3)I certainly do not do as i please, but I certainly do and will think what I want
4)I never said I know more than you ever will, but I highly doubt you know much more than me. I say this with 100% confidence and I feel no need to qualify myself on that
5)Please explain how these statements are wrong. What did i say that is untrue or refutable?

I think that some additional legislation may help. Too many kids (even at organized fields, playing legitimately) just have no idea what they have in their hands. they were given these things with no instruction, and little respect for them. Heres some parenting for you: buy your kid a gun and drop em off at the field so you dont have to deal with them. do not bother instructing them or informing them. just let em go, they will figure it out. I see a lot of this.

My kids know i play, they know i have gear, they see the welts and they hve a pretty good idea of what the game is. They also know that they will not play until I feel they are ready, or they turn 18, whichever comes first. They never ever even consider touching my stuff (i do not make it accessible, nor is it left in a state where it could be used without assembly). They are informed, have respect for the gear and respect for my wishes. That is parenting.

Also, if you feel I am a person who relies on the public school system to care for my kids and blindly expect the system to teach my kids you could not be farther from the truth. I take great interest in where my children go to school and that they get all they can from it.

do you have kids? im curious.

So, again, where am i being false or babyish here. I want to Know

Your response was a lot closer to the Nuh-uh you mentioned earlier

maybe you stand to lose something by additional legislation? why else would you be so moved? me, i have nothing to lose.