By Guy Page
As of 7:50 AM this morning, the Vermont Legislature has yet to convene (10 AM today for both House and Senate), and already two firearms bills have been released for introduction into the Vermont House of Representatives.
Recently re-elected Rep. David Yacovone (D-Morristown) has sponsored H-20, voluntary surrender of firearms by people in crisis.
Here’s how it would work: Federally licensed firearms dealers in Vermont would have the option to choose to participate in a temporary firearms storage program for persons in crisis. A person experiencing a mental health or other relevant crisis could bring their firearms to a participating firearms dealer for temporary safekeeping.
The program would authorize participating dealers to temporarily store the person’s firearms until the person is no longer in crisis. The program would provide criminal and civil immunity from liability to participating dealers for any harm resulting from the dealer’s acceptance, storage, return, or refusal to return the firearm, provided the dealer acts in good faith to follow program rules and procedures.
All gun theft grand larceny – H-19, sponsored by Rep. Anne Donahue (I-Northfield) and co-sponsored by Reps. Ken Goslant (R-Northfield) and Tom Burditt (R-West Rutland), would make stealing a firearm of any value an act of grand larceny.
Current law defines grand larceny, punishable by up to 10 years in prison and fines of up to $5000, as the theft of anything worth $900 or more. The bill adds ‘a firearm of any value’ to the list of grand larceny-eligible theft items.