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By Sam Douglass
As reported earlier this week, S.329, an anticipated and controversial gun control bill was taken up for a vote on Thursday by the Vermont Senate. The majority of the discussion came from Democratic Senators speaking in support of the bill with few Republicans speaking either in favor or in opposition.
While the discussion on Thursday was dominated by the provision in S.329 that bans firearms in bars and liquor-license holding restaurants statewide, the bill contains multiple sections including a statewide prohibition on machine guns and new laws for possessing firearms after a court hospitalization order or incompetence to stand trial.
A similar 2025 bill was precipitated by a shooting that occurred outside of a bar on Church Street in Burlington in 2023, which led to the prohibition of firearms in bars and other establishments that is now present in S.329.
In support of the bill, Senator Ann Cummings (D-Washington) expressed concern for the well-being and safety of law enforcement and cited the danger that police officers face when responding to fights at bars where alcohol and firearms mix. She referenced an earlier local provision in the city of Montpelier that banned firearms in bars locally for the safety of law enforcement.
“…And it was a danger for the police officers to go in there when there’s turmoil and somebody pulled a gun,” said Cummings. “Every week, there is a pop up in the news somewhere of a mass shooting in bars, not just two people going at it, but four or five or six bystanders that get killed or wounded. It is not a safe place to have a firearm.”
During discussion on the bill, Senator Joseph Major (D-Windsor) referred to national crime statistics that places Burlington among the safest cities in the country.
“As a matter of fact, Burlington is one of the 10 safest cities in America. Let me say that again. Burlington is one of the 10 safest cities in America. So what that is trying to be looked at is the old trope of a good guy with a gun beats a bad guy with a gun. Ladies and gentlemen, this is not Gunsmoke. It’s not a television show,” said Major.
He also expressed concern for the danger of mixing alcohol and firearms.
“This is common sense. When people are impaired because of alcohol, they do things that they would normally not do when they’re not impaired. Common sense. And I don’t want this to be a rural versus urban argument. It is not. It is a common sense argument.”
Senator Steve Heffernan (R-Addison) agreed with Major’s initial assessment but disagreed with him on the bill as a whole and on the distinction of rural vs urban.
“As the good senator from Windsor said, Burlington is one of the safest cities in Vermont. I don’t see why we need to make this rule that all of Vermont has to abide by: a rule that one city would like to see. I’m pretty much in rural Vermont and during deer season and even during any time of hunting season you do have a lot of hunters that are carrying firearms in and out of a bar. I would say 99% of the time it’s 100% safe with people carrying firearms. I’m sick of making laws that will affect that 99% because of the 1%,” said Heffernan.
The bill was ultimately ordered for a third reading on a party line vote. This vote was identical to the party line vote on the Burlington City Charter change to a similar effect last year.
Third reading is scheduled for today. It is unclear how the House will respond to the statewide banning of firearms in guns and restaurants.
Information for In Committee news reports are sourced from GoldenDomeVt.com and the General Assembly website. Generative AI has not been used in the writing of this story.
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Categories: Gunrights
And still no mention of the fact that the owner of any private business can already ban firearms on their property. All this does is provide a cudgel to use against those that disagree with them . If the incident last week where a woman entered a hospital (an already “gun free” establishment) with a firearm does not speak to the fact that gun laws are for the benefit of disingenuous politicians, not citizens, nothing will take your blinders off. A sincere thank you to our Republican Senators who believe that decisions like this belong to the people, not politicians .
This proposal will be unenforceable as a deterrent unless TSA-level security is conducted at the entrance to every establishment and event where alcohol is available for consumption. Also, for those who routinely and legally carry a firearm when they travel, it will necessitate leaving the firearm behind in a vehicle, making it an attractive target for thieves. Stolen firearms by definition fall into the hands of criminals. Someone who legally carries and uses public transportation or and uber/taxi will have nowhere to safely store their firearm when entering an applicable establishment or event such as a concert. Rather than comply, many will simply ignore such a law and carry concealed, like it’s nobody’s business, and no one will be the wiser. This is just the last gasp from a garden pest that has invaded Vermont from Upstate New York, by the name of Phil Baruth, following in the footsteps of many New York officials who have spat upon the Second Amendment over the years.
What’s next? Will they ban bar patrons from parking their vehicles outside of bars? Because, you know, bars and cars don’t mix.
I would like to see the data comparing how many people are injured/killed by drunk drivers vs. how many are injured killed by bar patrons with firearms.
The bottom line is that you’re not supposed to drive drunk. Nor are you supposed to use a firearm to assault and shoot people, inside or outside a bar or anywhere (except in certain justified situations).
And banning machine guns? What’s up with that? Have there been lots of shootings by people using machine guns in Vermont? Or have there been zero?
To be consistent, perhaps those who want to ban machine guns ought to seek to ban sports cars or motorcycles, too. Makes as much sense. Seems to me to be the fallacy of attributing evil to inanimate objects, especially faster ones. But these objects only become lethal when used wrongly by bad actors.
To repeat the oft-mentioned hypothetical which proves how illogical this argument is: are evil people who use guns to shoot and hurt and kill people really deterred by the crossed out circle gun-free zone signs? Did the woman who assaulted hospital personnel with hers respect and heed the “no firearms in hospitals signs?” All the signs did was to prevent law-abiding citizens from being to defend themselves and other vulnerable people from her evil lunacy with corresponding firepower.
“Burlington is one of the safest cities in Vermont.” I’m not saying I don’t beleive this, just I’d love to see the math that led to that statement .
If Burlington was so safe, the city would not have been clamoring for this restriction for years now. Burlington has numerous examples of people shooting and being shot OUTSIDE of bars. Burlington also has a problem with larcenies into vehicles. If people wish to comply with this law, there will be more vehicles unattended with weapons inside, ripe for theft…that’s a great “gun safety” law, Baruth.
VTGOP helping the Marxists rule Montpelier.
Oh, but we stopped them from statewide control of guns
Oh, but we stopped them from taking away all your property rights, but getting the bill passed with a minor amendment.
Stand firm, let them burn by their own rule making, which none of them wrote btw.
We are supposed to be a constitutional republic, not some marxist hell hole, call them out, separate the communists/marxists from the American loving democrats.
These cave monkeys are a sore that never heals. Baruth is the sound you make when you puke. Make sure all police officers leave their weapons in the car before entering a bar as every one must obey the law.
Police will be excepted, obviously. However, otherwise law-abiding people could face prosecution for guns stolen from locked vehicles, unless they were secured in some kind of secondary locking device like a safe. I believe that existing law in Vermont does not consider a firearm simply left in a locked vehicle to be compliant with the “safe storage” law.
There should be “Gun Free Zone” postings around legislators properties that want gun control and that should make them so very safe.
Kinda of like the property poster that says, “This property is insured by Smith and Wesson. My neighbors, I’m not so sure of”.
………” I’m sick of making laws that will affect that 99% because of the 1%,” said Heffernan. “…….couldn’t agree more…
You people. The girls in congress are literally … and do not care about the Big Ten commandments. I can not recall one single incident of gun violence inside a bar. In every instance in my memory, the threat came from someone down the street or on the corner. The socialists have again wet their drawers (pee-pee or … whatnot) without justification. They created a theoretical problem, and, oh boy, they must solve it. It’s like the good hearted wife that throws out your Rembrandt artwork because she didn’t like the subject. It’s invaluable, but a girls emotions are a girls emotions. Are there any men left?
BOY do I agree with this thanks for saying I’ve wanted, but felt that I shouldn’t say such due to the negative responses, YOU HATE WOMEN!!!! And a racist. I’ve compiled a list of such legislators against the world. Being a vet, there were two females one from Brattleboro that didn’t want any tax relief for Veterans, because it would jeopardize the state. These Vets (and myself) protected them and the state. Yet they sh–t on us. I’ve looked at the personals about once a year (to get a laugh). Amazing how many are liberal. Yet, they have posted a few years for some. Who’d want to get involved with a liberal female? I have two female friends (just friends) , die hard Liberals. Also have very conservative gals and have great associations, night and day.
Just look at the Seven Days personals and get entertained. Most are in the Burlington area. They must live on the tails of a sugar daddy and never had to produce on their own. That’s what there is in Taxpelier. Am o glad to be single, it’s like being free. First part of my life hitched and provided for others, second part produced for my self. That’s life.
Should maintain a female legislators that are out of touch with reality and believe they have power over others by being in taxpelier and on taxpayer salaries and don’t have to do NOTHING except create turmoil. I’m not a racist, just a realist.
I hope to be the first to violate this law.
If you do concealed carry correctly no one will know
I will be violating this law on Mother’s Day.
I WILL NOT OBEY – I WILL NOT COMPLY