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Vt. Senate advances 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases, safe storage requirements

Guns are lined up on a wall below two mounted deer heads
Liam Elder-Connors
/
Vermont Public File
Cragin's Gun Shop in Rutland primarily serves hunters. Owner John Cragin told Vermont Public in 2017 that suicide is a tricky issue — but if he has any doubts about selling someone a gun, he won't make the sale.

The Vermont Senate has approved legislation intended to lower the amount of suicides that involve guns in the state.

The bill expands the use of risk prevention orders, creates new safe storage requirements, and includes a 72-hour waiting period for gun purchases.

Chittenden Sen. Phil Baruth says Vermont's suicide rate is much higher than most states because its population skews older, there are a lot of veterans, and it's easy to access firearms.

"When you put those things together we have a 30% higher suicide rate than other states — 30%!" Baruth said. "That's a problem that must be addressed, not that should be addressed."

Opponents say the bill would not significantly lower suicide rates, and is potentially unconstitutional.

More from Vermont Public: Vermont lawmakers paddle into uncharted legal waters with gun control bill

"This bill isn't much about suicide other than it's just anti-gun," said Essex Sen. Russ Ingalls, "and I think probably most of the provisions in this bill will be struck down by the Second Amendment who guarantees our rights to bear arms."

By a vote of 21 to 9, the Senate voted to advance the bill to a final review, which is expected on Tuesday.

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Bob Kinzel has been covering the Vermont Statehouse since 1981 — longer than any continuously serving member of the Legislature. With his wealth of institutional knowledge, he answers your questions on our series, "Ask Bob."
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