The Cranston City Council Ordinance Committee tabled a resolution on Thursday in support of two bills going through the House and Senate to keep concealed carry permit (CCP) holders from entering on to school grounds at K-12 institutions.

While Rhode Island law states that “No person shall have in his or her possession any firearm or other weapons on schools grounds,” there is an exception for CCP holders. Rhode Island is one of only 11 states that has an exception for CCP holders, according to the Law Center to Prevent Gun Violence.

House Bill 5345 and Senate Bill 0187 would change that. Reps. Katherine Kazarian, Edith Ajello, Christopher Blazejewski, Teresa Tanzi and Raymond Hull are the sponsors of the House Bill. Sens. Harold Metts, Gayle Goldin, Elizabeth Crowley, Ana Quezada and Jeanine Calkin are sponsoring the Senate Bill. The bills would limit firearms to peace officers and those approved by the schools.

The Cranston School Committee passed its version of the resolution on an earlier date.

Council Vice President Michael Favicchio immediately proposed to table the resolution as it came up on the agenda, saying the first bill was held for “further study” in the House, while the second was referred to the Senate Judiciary. Since tabling an item is not up for debate, to the consternation of the resolution’s sponsor John Lanni, Jr., the committee voted to put off discussion.

Lanni’s motion didn't receive a “second” for discussion, either, when it was introduced.

However, this was after a session of public comment that saw support for the resolution. Tom Wojick backed the resolution, saying that it wouldn’t infringe on any Second Amendment rights.

“I believe this is a wise addition for Rhode Island,” Wojick said. “We have approximately 3,566 concealed weapons permit holders. I think that no one can give their assurance that not one of those people might have a lapse in judgment or error in how they handle their weapon.”

Ramsey Davis concurred with Wojick. Davis, a Vietnam War veteran, said he was a rifleman overseas and held an M-16. He said that it was “not a gun issue, it’s a safety issue.”

Both Wojick and Davis have letters to the editor that can be seen in today’s Herald.

Pete Bilderback of the Rhode Island Coalition Against Gun Violence pulled no punches in a comment sent to the Herald by e-mail on Tuesday concerning the resolution.

“The Cranston City Council is afraid of this issue and is hiding behind every imaginable procedural maneuver and smokescreen to avoid taking a vote on it,” he said. “It's a profile in cowardice, and it's exactly why people hate politicians. They don't even have the courage to stand up for their convictions and reject the resolution outright because they know the vast majority of Cranston residents don't want firearms in R.I. K-12 schools unless carried by a trained, qualified peace officer. It's an appalling example of how the influence of the corporate gun lobby reaches all the way down to the municipal level in Rhode Island."

In other news, the committee unanimously voted in favor of a zoning change at 1315 Park Ave., the site of a former Shell gas station. The switch would re-zone the area as C-3 (Highway commercial) from M-1 Industrial. The plan, according to Attorney Bob Murray, is to convert the site into a Dollar General.

Ward 1 Councilman Steven Stycos, who is not on the ordinance committee, raised the issue of C-3 zone allowing for a drive-thru. He advocated for a change to C-2, which would prohibit a drive-thru. Murray said, though, that the C-3 designation was submitted to give more leeway with building design, adding that there wouldn’t be enough space on the lot for a drive-thru anyway.

“The site is just not large enough for a drive-thru even with additional land, but if it was the will of the committee [to change the designation] we’d have to agree to it,” Murray said. “I just don’t believe there will every be a drive-thru.”

Despite Stycos’ suggestion, the zone remained the same. The committee voted 5-0 to approve the measure.

The committee also voted to continue discussion on two ordinances concerning 3-way stops. The first would be located at Robin Hood and Pleasant drives, while the second would be at Wine Street and Highland. Traffic Engineer Stephen Mulcahy still has reports pending on both projects.

There was a presentation of youth smoking from the Cranston Substance Abuse Task Force and Department of Health scheduled as well, but it was postponed until the next meeting on June 15.

Correction: An earlier version of this article stated that Committee Chairman Christopher Paplauskas proposed to table the resolution. It was Council Vice President Michael Favicchio who made this proposition.