by Guy Page
The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs plans to sue the State of Vermont over the recently passed bill H.230, specifically the 72-hour waiting period, Sen. Terry Williams (R-Rutland) announced this morning.
Williams is also Southern Vice-President of the pro-Second Amendment advocacy organization.
H.230, which passed the House with a veto-proof majority and cleared the Senate just one shy of the necessary 20 votes, imposes (among other restrictions) a 72-hour waiting period before the buyer of a lawful firearms purchase may take possession of the gun. Supporters say it will reduce “impulse-buying” leading to murder and suicide.
Opponents say the recent Bruen decision by the U.S. Supreme Court in effect makes waiting periods unconstitutional. They seem to have agreement from Gov. Phil Scott, who allowed the bill to become law without his signature, and registered concerns about the waiting period’s constitutionality.
Scott also predicted a challenge in state courts:
“Given the relatively new legal landscape we find ourselves in following recent U.S. Supreme Court decisions, I have significant concerns about the provision’s constitutionality,” Scott said in a June 1 letter to the Legislature. “My struggle with the overall bill lies in the fact that I, and all legislators, took an oath to ‘not do any act or thing injurious to the constitution.’ However, this matter is currently being taken up through constitutional legal tests across the country and will be decided in Federal Court. I would also not be surprised to see a Vermont entity challenge the constitutionality of this provision of the bill, as well.”
Williams urged Vermonters interested in the court challenge to watch the VFSC website for more news.