Enforcement also an issue, Guv says of Burlington ordinance approved by Senate
By Guy Page
Governor Phil Scott is not a fan of the bill passed by the Senate that bans guns in Burlington bars.
S.131, a Burlington city charter change banning guns on bar premises, received preliminary Senate approval Thursday with 12 no votes, enough to uphold a veto. Friday afternoon, the Senate approved S.131 on third and final reading. The bill now goes to the House.
Monday morning, VDC asked Gov. Scott’s office what he thinks about S.131. The answer? Not much. And he’s antsy about the non-progress of his own Public Safety Omnibus bill, now stalled in House Judiciary.
Here’s what Press Secretary Amanda Wheeler wrote back:
“The Governor’s public safety bill this session reflects the concerns we’ve been hearing from Vermonters – they’re frustrated with the lack of accountability for repeat offenders and the illicit drug use and effects on our communities. We believe those are the most important public safety issues to focus on this session – not banning guns in bars. There are still many unanswered questions, for example, how would this proposed ban be enforced?”
The enforcement question was also asked by Sen. Pat Brennan (R-Grand Isle) during the floor debate Thursday. Unless the Legislature wants to return to the old days of frisking people, there’s probably not much that can be done to prevent concealed carry in bars, he said.
H.411 was introduced February 27. It’s been hanging on the House Judiciary Committee wall ever since. This week – with just weeks left in the session – Judiciary is scheduled to discuss a transgender rights resolution, refusing to let ICE into schoos, and Fair and Impartial Policing Oversight. Nothing about H.411.
It remains to be seen if S.131 passes the House, and if it does whether Gov. Scott will veto it. Should it be enacted into law, S.131 also may face a legal challenge from gun rights groups who say it explicitly violates the 1987 Sportsmen’s Bill of Rights law preventing municipalities from imposing gun control not permitted by state law.
Two bills signed into law – Last week, Governor Scott signed into law S.3, relating to the transfer of property to a trust, and H.80, expanding the authority of the Office of the Health Care Advocate and requiring the Green Mountain Care Board to make public all materials in the record of a rate review proceeding (with some exceptions).
House to consider road salt reduction, solar expansion bills – The House will discuss on the floor this week H. 86, Establishing the Chloride Contamination Reduction Program at the Agency of Natural Resources, and S.50, increasing the size of solar net metering projects that qualify for expedited registration.
House T-bill goes to Senate – The Senate on Tuesday will consider a Taiwan friendship resolution, relieving Medical debt, increasing monetary thresholds for health care facility certificates of need, and the House version of the omnibus Transportation bill (the ‘T-bill).