Another bill would ban gun possession at polls, allow towns to ban possession at town office
By Guy Page
As reported Jan. 5, a bill to ban ‘semiautomatic assault weapons’ was introduced into the Vermont House on the first day of the 2024 Legislature. But it’s not the only proposed gun control measure so far this year. Others include:
| H.561 | Prohibiting firearms at polling places and requiring that lost or stolen firearms be reported to a law enforcement agency. Senate companion bill: S.212. | |
| H.559 | Voluntary license to purchase firearms, 72-hour waiting period waived. | |
| H.525 | Ordinances governing the possession of firearms in a municipal building |
Under H.561, carrying firearms to the polls carries a punishment of up to a year in prison or a $1000 fine or both. Failure to report a lost/stolen firearm within 72 hours would be punishable with up to a $250 fine. It’s sponsored by House Judiciary Chair Martin Lalonde (D-South Burlington) and Rep. Angela Arsenault (D-Williston).
H.559, also sponsored by Lalonde, would “establish a voluntary firearms licensing system in Vermont that permits a person to obtain a license from the Department of Public Safety to purchase a firearm. A person who has obtained a license is not subject to the 72-hour waiting period requirement when purchasing a firearm.”
Vermont, unlike many other states, has no gun licensing requirement or government infrastructure. Applications would include:
(1) a full physical description of the applicant;
(2) full information concerning the applicant’s criminal record and relevant information concerning mental health history;
(3) a set of the applicant’s fingerprints;
(4) the names and contact information of the applicant’s spouse, domestic partner, and any other adults who reside in the applicant’s home; and
(5) the names of any minors who reside in the applicant’s home, plus reports from state and federal criminal authorities.
Vermont’s 72-hour waiting period became law last year and is being challenged in court by opponents who say that recent Supreme Court decisions are on their side.
H525, introduced by Rep. Jim Harrison (R-Chittenden) and Arsenault, “authorizes the legislative body of a municipality to adopt an ordinance that prohibits the possession of firearms in a municipal building.”
A bill more appealing to gun rights supporters also has been introduced. H.743, introduced by Rep. Pat Brennan (R-Colchester) and several other Republicans, proposes an “exemption to the firearms transfer waiting period for persons who already own firearms.”
The bill’s 16 co-sponsors are Reps. Carolyn Branagan, William Canfield, Paul Clifford,
Allen “Penny” Demar, Rodney Graham, Lisa Hango, Larry Labor, Michael Morgan, Thomas Oliver, Woodman Page, Joseph Parsons, Charles “Butch” Shaw, Brian Smith, Christopher Taylor, Matthew Walker, and Terri Williams. All are Republicans.
More Information on the proposed ‘assault weapon’ ban, introduced by Rep. Mike Mrowicki (D-Putney), can be found on the Legislature’s website by reading the Jan. 5 Vermont Daily Chronicle story or by clicking on this listing on the Legislature’s web page:
| H.582 | Prohibiting possession of semiautomatic assault weapons. A ‘companion’ bill, S. 239, has been introduced into the Senate. |
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