Today, March 14th, is the "crossover" deadline in the Vermont legislature. Bills that fail to advance out of the chamber of origin are considered "dead" for the session. Thanks to a strong response by NRA members, pro-gun lawmakers, and our in-state partner, the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, no anti-gun bills met this deadline. Below find a list of the anti-gun bills defeated for the session:
H.45 would have prohibited carrying firearms in establishments serving alcohol. This bill would have disarmed law-abiding citizens and created hundreds of soft-targets for criminals throughout the state.
H.368 would have banned carrying firearms in government buildings. This would have disarmed law-abiding citizens and government employees who must enter these buildings to conduct business.
H.381 would have banned purchasing or possessing commonly owned semi-automatic firearms.
H.392 would have banned firearms in state-owned buildings and lands, creating massive gun-free zones that would have disarmed law-abiding citizens and created soft targets throughout the state.
H.418 would have implemented an 11% excise tax on the purchase of guns and ammo. This legislation sought to increase the cost of firearm ownership to create a barrier for low-income individuals to exercise their Second Amendment rights.
Again, thank you to NRA members and our partner organizations for ensuring these bills did not survive Crossover Day.