KEEP THEM IF YOU CAN: Two gun-control bills moved through the Statehouse this legislative session but will have to wait until next year to advance through the opposite chamber and on to the governor’s desk.
This year’s legislative session saw two gun-control bills pass their respective chambers, but neither bill advanced beyond that, and both are expected to advance further next year.
S.30, a ban on firearms in hospitals that was approved by the Senate Judiciary Committee and passed in the Senate, did not see action in the House. Under current law, hospitals are allowed to post signage to prohibit weapons from their premises, and violations can result in a charge of felony trespassing. This new legislation would make it a chargeable offense any time someone carries a gun inside a hospital, even if by accident.
The bill started out prohibiting the carrying of firearms in childcare centers and government buildings but was whittled down to hospitals only before the full Senate passed it.
The other bill, H.133, would allow for the confiscation of firearms if a judge determines it is necessary for a relief from abuse order (RFA), even if there’s been no court hearing for the defendant.
“Both of those passed both sides but they haven’t had any progress in the opposite chambers yet,” Eric Davis, president of Gun Owners of Vermont, told True North on Monday.
However, both bills are expected to be taken up and advanced again starting in January 2022.
Second Amendment ‘sanctuaries’ hold promise for gun owners
One bright spot for gun owners has been the rapid establishment of “Second Amendment sanctuaries” in counties and municipalities across the United States. According to the website sanctuarycounties.com, more than 46 percent of all counties in the U.S. have declared they will not enforce national gun-control laws.
“There are 1,459 Second Amendment sanctuary counties, out of a total of 3,144 counties, but I’m still tallying them right now,” Noah Davis, the editor of the website, told The Second Amendment Foundation in a recent interview.
Multiple Vermont communities last year declared themselves sanctuaries for gun owners. The towns include Pownal, Searsburg, Derby, Pittsford, Clarendon and Holland.
Speaking of the trend, Davis said “it’s something that hopefully will pick up again” as gun owners in Vermont weigh the threats of gun control coming from the Biden administration, and even from Gov. Phil Scott’s administration.
Scott faced a backlash from pro-gun Vermonters in April 2018 when he signed a law mandating universal background checks, magazine capacity limits, raising the age to purchase to age 21, and more. The Vermont Supreme Court in February upheld the magazine capacity limits.
The frustrations over a Republican governor enacting left-wing gun control agendas still linger today, as Davis explained on his group’s website.
“Over the years the absurdity under the dome continued and evolved almost unabated as the rest of us went about our lives just wanting to be left alone until we reached that dreadful moment in 2018 when we realized that nothing was sacred to these people and that even our newly elected ‘pro-gun’ governor would gladly sacrifice our rights to the gods of central planning,” he wrote.
On the federal level, President Joe Biden has made clear he wishes to impose new restrictions on guns. In April, while speaking about the Second Amendment, he said “no amendment is absolute.”
“Obviously you have a presidential administration now that’s fairly hostile to the civilian ownership of firearms,” Davis said. “Thankfully, Washington is still fairly dysfunctional. … Hopefully it continues to be that way and they don’t pass anything major.”
Biden has discussed a range of policies from an assault weapons ban and voluntary buybacks of assault weapons to repealing a law that prevents gun manufacturers from being held responsible for crimes committed with guns.
Meanwhile gun purchases are rising. The latest data from the National Shooting Sports Foundation shows that gun sales have risen 13 straight months. In addition, states such as Texas are legalizing permitless carry of handguns to counter the push by Democrats for gun control.
Michael Bielawski is a reporter for True North. Send him news tips at bielawski82@yahoo.com and follow him on Twitter @TrueNorthMikeB.
Gee, the two bills were held up only to be addressed during and election year. A typical Dem political move.
Senator Benning, you are correct in both your statements, but the problems arise,
when you have Vermont’s Anti-Gun Zealots running rampant in the statehouse, that
really have no understanding of a firearms use, design, or function, all you hear from
this bunch of buffoons is it’s a ” Military Assualt Rifle ” …… my point exactly !!
These two bills are pure hype from the liberals and will do nothing to stop what they
see as a problem, I would like to see there ” data ” on how many firearms were viewed
and used in a threatening manner in Hospitals, so authorities we called as “S30 ” states
is a problem, I would guess the answer is ZERO…… correct.
As far as H.133, would allow for the confiscation of firearms if a judge determines (RFA),
even if there’s been ” no court hearing ” for the defendant, that sounds like our legislators
need to read the constitution as it appears they haven’t
So maybe our so-called legislators should worry more about criminal activity, as they don’t
care how many foolish bills you try to pass, as they are criminals, but you wouldn’t want to
offend them so pick on law-abiding citizens it’s easier……..pretty pathetic !!
Vermonter’s remember, there are no problems it’s all about a paid agenda, follow the Money.
I did not vote for S.30 and would not, but there are two mistakes in this story which should be corrected for accurate journalism. First, a person would not be in violation for carrying a firearm into a hospital “by accident.” The bill specifically requires that the person have knowledge of what they are doing. Secondly, the author’s contention that “violations can result in a charge of felony trespassing” is not true. Trespassing in Vermont is a misdemeanor under 13 VSA §3705.
As I’ve stated numerous times over the years, semi-automatic firearms are not assault weapons or weapons of war that the military employs in battle. In fact, if we want to use court records we would find that a hammer is an assault weapon if used to assault someone with it. The term was devised by the anti-gun lobby to trick unknowing readers into believing semi-automatic rifles are machine guns, which they are not. Most firearms held by Americans are for sporting use, hunting and self defense but they wouldn’t sound scary if the were labeled Defensive weapons.
When writers present these articles they should stop calling calling sporting rifles “Assault Weapons”, they are semi-automatic rifles and pistols that require one pull of the trigger each time a round is fired. The term AR15 is a rifle designed by the Armalite Company and is an Armalite Rifle 15 or AR15 which fires a 22 caliber bullet with loaded with more powder than a 22 long rifle cartridge. In many states they are considered under powered to hunt deer with. All firearms can be deadly in the wrong hands and they can save lives in the right hands.
Criminals will never be stopped from attaining illegal firearms. Prohibition has never stopped criminals from getting anything. Many of the shootings here in Vermont are the result of felons carrying illegal firearms. Prohibiting law abiding people from possessing and owning firearms will result in more death and mass shootings and will encourage and embolden more criminals to invade homes, rob more people, rape and murder without the fear of being shot by the homeowner or armed individual. Anti-gun ownership has roots in the Jim Crow laws passed by southern democrats after the civil war that prohibited freed slaves and other blacks from owning firearms. Those laws were passed so the KKK could invade black farmers without the fear of blacks being able to defend themselves with guns.
Here we are in 2021 and we haven’t learned yet that criminals do not care how many laws forbidding firearms are passed by do good but ignorant politicians. The term, ” When guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns” has never been truer than it is today. The founders knew this in 1776 but we have politicians who are deaf, dumb and stupid and ignore history and the present. We have constitutional and states rights allowing free people to own and defend their loved ones, their property and themselves from those predators in society that do not conform to laws. If a criminal has the mind set to kill or rape, do we really believe that another gun law will stop that. The only thing that will is the individual and natural right to self defense. The only other reason to disarm the American public is to accomplish what Jim Crow laws did in the 1860s. When a government fears the people there is liberty and when the people fear the government there is tyranny. When a government disarms it’s people liberty dies and totalitarians rule. Americans will not allow this to happen! Without freedom there is no unity. Without liberty we are no longer citizens. The founders knew that in the 1770s and gave us the Bill of Rights. It is now our duty to protect it! Take Back Vermont and Take back our Country!
A fine explanation, Dano. Complete, concise, and well written. Should be required reading for all our state legislators, and our Governor…
Another thing the Commiecrats don’t want the people to know is that the AR-15 was sold on the civilian market before it was adapted by the military.