By Guy Page
A Putney legislator has proposed a bill requiring mandatory licensing, registration and insurance of firearms in Vermont.
H.520, introduced by Rep. Mike Mrowicki (D-Putney), would require all firearms owners to have a license to possess a firearm and an insurance card indicating that the owner has firearms liability insurance. And it would require that each of the owner’s firearms be registered.
Another bill introduced May 3 would subsidize firearms storage and locks. H.521, sponsored by Rep. Kate McCann (D-Montpelier), would create a special fund that would offer subsidies to Vermonters for the purpose of purchasing firearms storage devices, exempt all firearms storage devices from the Vermont sales tax, and require firearms dealers to include a trigger lock with each firearm the dealer sells.
Both bills were referred to the House Judiciary Committee. Although action this year is considered unlikely with scheduled adjournment about a week away, the bills could be reviewed by the gun-control friendly Judiciary Committee next session.
At present, Vermont is one of eight states in which firearms registry is prohibited, according to Ballotpedia. The closest states are Rhode Island and Pennsylvania.