Vermont: Anti-Gun Bills Gaining Steam in Montpelier

Anti-gun lawmakers are moving aggressively to pass a series of gun bills before the March 2nd “crossover” date.  That is the critical deadline when a bill must pass committee in its house of origin.  S.6 failed to move last year and had been stalled this session after gun owners turned out in large numbers to protest at a Senate Judiciary hearing last month.

However, despite the overwhelming opposition, anti-gun lawmakers are desperately trying to rekindle their efforts.  S.6 by Sen. Phil Baruth would require mandatory background checks on all private transactions.  These “universal” background checks are far from universal as criminals do not submit to background checks.  The vast majority of criminals simply acquire their guns on the black market.  This bill is nothing more than an attack on law-abiding gun ownership.   Gun owners would be forced to pay for these costly checks.   The bill is also largely unenforceable. 

H.422 by Maxine Grad passed the House narrowly last session but stalled on the Senate side.  Again, anti-gun lawmakers are trying to revive this bill which is being sold as “domestic violence” legislation.  We are all horrified by domestic violence and support harsh penalties for convicted violent abusers.  However, this bill goes well beyond that and would lead to the confiscation of firearms with little or no due process.  It applies to restraining orders where there has been an accusation but no finding of guilt. 

Please contact your Representatives and Senators and ask them to oppose any new gun control.  Vermont is annually one of the safest states in the country.  The state’s current gun laws are working, and this is an out-of-state agenda being driven as a solution in search of a problem which does not exist in Vermont.  Again, your help is urgently needed, and it is imperative that you contact you legislators immediately.