Vermont’s secretary of state is recommending a statewide ban against possessing or carrying a firearm or other deadly weapon on state or municipal property.
The office is recommending that lawmakers take up the issue to give towns the authority to prohibit firearms in their town halls, but allow towns to opt out, if voters want to permit guns in their municipal buildings.
“The context of this request comes in a time of increased social polarization and vitriol aimed at public servants, policymakers, and citizens,” Deputy Secretary of State Lauren Hibbert wrote in a new report. “To preserve participatory democracy and good governance, we need to consciously decide where weapons will and won’t be allowed.”
The Legislature last year passed Act 120, which prohibits firearms at polling locations, but the report recommends a statewide ban to prevent a “patchwork of policies” that can lead to confusion, inadvertent law-breaking, and reduced faith in government.
Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs President Chris Bradley said groups like his were not consulted when the report was written, and he says the legal arguments in the report misrepresent established and ongoing court cases over gun rights.
“We can’t support this,” Bradley said. “The fact of the matter is that honest, law-abiding citizens have a constitutional right to defend themselves.”
The fact of the matter is that honest, law-abiding citizens have a constitutional right to defend themselves.Chris Bradley, Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs
Vermont currently has a range of different laws concerning firearms in state buildings and municipal properties, and Bradley said Vermont did not need additional laws on the books.
“Such laws are unconstitutional,” he said. “They are against the public welfare, they are prejudicial and increase danger to the public, by depriving those subject to sudden acts of evil from the basic right of self-defense.”
Guns are prohibited in schools, and there are some restrictions for hospitals. Since 1993 guns have been prohibited in Vermont courthouses.
There is also a state facility rule that prohibits guns in the Statehouse, but that rule has no criminal violations that go along with it.
Commissioner of Buildings and General Services Wanda Minoli said in the report that the existing rules were working well, and Minoli did not offer an opinion on enacting a stronger statewide ban. She did say it might make sense to clarify the rules around carrying firearms around the nearby grounds.
Vermont law currently does not allow municipal governments to ban firearms, under the law known as The Sportsman’s Bill of Rights.
The report found that towns that tried to pass local laws to amend the Sportsman’s Bill of Rights have not been successful.
The Vermont League of Cities and Towns supports a statewide ban, but the group says towns should be allowed to opt out if the voters want citizens to have the right to carry weapons.
But GunSense Vermont Executive Director Connor Casey said his group opposed giving towns the option of allowing guns inside their buildings.
“While we support a statewide ban on firearms in government buildings, we also believe Vermont should go further by fully repealing the state’s preemption law, which currently prevents municipalities from enacting their own protections against gun violence,” Casey said. “Local communities should have the right to adopt firearm regulations that best fit their needs, whether that means stronger protections or additional measures beyond state law.”
Across the country, 26 states have policies prohibiting the public from carrying long guns on some portion of capitol grounds and/or at political protests.
Nearby states have a range of different laws covering firearm possession in state and municipal buildings.
New York and Massachusetts have broad bans, while Connecticut and Maine have partial bans. New Hampshire and Rhode Island have no restrictions on possessing firearms in state buildings.
Have questions, comments or tips? Send us a message.
_