Minutes into the earlier Senate debate, Democratic Sen. Pamela Lauria attempted to reinstate the language banning possession and use of prohibited firearms, contained in the House-passed version of the bill, but the Senate voted 25-12 to uphold Senate President Valarie Lawson's ruling that the move violated Senate rules.

Rhode Island's Democratic-controlled state House has advanced legislation that would ban sales of certain semiautomatic rifles.

The legislation now goes to the House, which passed a different version of the bill that would also ban the possession of assault-style weapons.