Vermont Gun Control Receives Grade of D- from Watchdog Group

Author: Peter Faroni

On Jan. 8, the Brady Campaign, a Washington-based advocacy group that works in conjunction with the Million Mom March for the prevention of gun violence, issued its annual "report card" scoring state laws for protecting children from guns. On its most recent report card Vermont received a D-, making it one of the 28 states to receive a D or lower.
Critics say Vermont laws fail to hold adults responsible for allowing children access to loaded guns and do not require waiting periods or background checks for buying a gun. Chad Ramsey of the Brady Campaign commented, "The thing with Vermont is they have such a long way to go ... there's a laundry list of things that can be done."
Vermont also received low marks for allowing 16-year-olds to carry concealed weapons in public. Additionally, critics cited Vermont's failure to establish safety standards for handguns as an alarming weakness in state gun control efforts. Ramsey points out, "Just requiring child safety locks sold with each gun is such a small step." Vermont would have received a failing grade if not for its limit on the sale to or possession of handguns by children under 15.
Despite yearly censures from the Brady Campaign, there have been few significant changes in gun control laws. Vermont has received a D- since the organization began issuing its reports six years ago. However, state National Rifle Association (NRA) officials have discredited the Brady Campaign as an effort to restrict firearms sales to civilians under the guise of safety.
Vermont's choice to "stick to its guns" over gun control policy can be ascribed to its expectation that citizens owning and using firearms will behave responsibly. Bill Leipold, president of Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs, Vermont's branch of the NRA, stated, "Vermont's law is straightforward -- it's a crime to carry a firearm with the intent to commit a crime. I think that firearms in the hands of lawful citizens are a wonderful deterrent to violent crime and to burglary."
Former legislator Frederick Maslack (R-Poultney) would agree strongly with Leipold. In 2000, Maslack, a vocal opponent of gun control, introduced before the Vermont Legislature a bill that would have levied fine $500 against all citizens of military service age who were not in possession of a gun. Another bill Maslack introduced would have made basic military training mandatory in Vermont high schools. Both bills were defeated in committee, and Maslack was not reelected in the November election.
In response to criticism that Vermont needs more extensive gun laws for minors, Leipold said, "I think minors should be under adult supervision unless they've passed a hunter education class and proven themselves trustworthy." He maintained that liability laws already on the books sufficiently handle instances of parental negligence.
Though state gun laws have been heavily criticized by gun control groups, crime remains low in Vermont. Leipold affirmed "Vermont has one of the highest percentages of gun ownership and one of the lowest rates of violent crime. 'Nough said."