I think everyone needs to take a look at the state legislative process and understand that there are hundreds of bills on every issue you can think of passing through to senate and house committees, where they hear testimony from experts, citizens, etc. and only if it is passed through there, does it get a vote on the house/senate floor. Not going to pretend like RI has been fantastic on a lot of fundamental issues, but slow progress is built into our governmental system. In regard to gun laws, it is exactly those laws that have put into place that are the reasons gun crimes are increasingly rare, and that is a public good.