Vt. Considers Gun Regulations with Bill 31

Hundreds of Vermonters recently debated a new bill on gun control. The bill hopes to expand background checks and bar people considered mentally ill from carrying a weapon alongside imposing other restrictions on gun ownership.

The Senate Bill 31 was met with much opposition as the largest crowd descended on the State House since the Vermont Civil Union Bill - which granted the full benefits of marriage to same-sex couples - was debated and passed 15 years ago. The 43 people who signed up to speak in favor of the bill were outnumbered by the  65 who spoke against it.

Critics of the bill were concerned that the new legislation was against the spirit of the Vermont Constitution and the Sportsmen Bill of Rights. Many feared it was the first step on a slippery slope which would eventually lead to gun confiscation.

Bill Moore of Vermont Traditions Coalition emphasized that “we don’t need them in the safest state in the nation.”

FBI figures show that with only 115 violent crimes per 100,000 - a third of the national average - Vermont was indeed the safest state in 2013.

The Gun Owners of Vermont issued a statement in which it expressed concerns over possible inclusion of Veterans who have returned home from Desert Storm and sought counseling at the Veteran’s Administration among people who might be prohibited from accessing a gun in case the bill passes and is made into a law.

Ann Braden, President of the anti-gun group Gun Sense Vermont, was adamant that the legislation would not impede on the Second Amendment rights of Vermonters. She had announced in May of last year that the group would focus on the issue of introducing universal background checks for firearms sold in the state.

“It’s focused exclusively on keeping guns out of the hands of convicted abusers, violent felons, and drug traffickers,”  Braden said.

The Green Mountain state, which prides itself on being the most liberal state in the country, is also among the most protective of its right to bear arms. It is one of only three states which allow anyone to carry concealed weapons without a permit. It also has a firearms preemption law that prevents cities or counties from enforcing gun laws that are more restrictive than state law.

The shooting at Sandy Hook Elementary School in 2012 renewed debate over gun control laws in Vermont but in spite of repeated attempts by many in the House of Representatives, such as former Rep. Linda Waite-Simpson of Essex, to introduce gun-control laws the bills have failed to garner enough votes and often have not even made it to the House Floor.

Gov. Peter Shumlin attributes Vermonters’ passion for guns to “years and years of Vermonters respecting guns as a tool to manage wildlife and to put food on the table.” Gov. Shumlin is among the most prominent pro-gun voices in the state, as he himself was raised in a hunting family.

“The current laws that Vermont has in place around guns serve us well,” Shumlin said in a news conference held at the end of last month. He wanted the Legislature to focus on affordability, property taxes and health care costs instead of debating issues that “divide us,” the Burlington Free Press reported.