Legislation Included a Requirement for a Background Check on all Gun Sales and Creation of a Red Flag Law
Vermont Became the 20th State to Go Beyond Federal Law by Closing Background Check Loophole
MONTPELIER, Vt.– The Vermont chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, marked the recent end of Vermont’s state legislative session by applauding Republican Governor Phil Scott and state lawmakers for enacting historic gun violence prevention legislation in Vermont. These bills included: requiring a criminal background check on all gun sales, making Vermont the 20th state to close the background check loophole; prohibiting the sale of high capacity magazines and bump stocks to help reduce the lethality of shootings; and raising the minimum age to purchase firearms to 21.
Additionally, this slate of bills established a Red Flag Law, which empowers law enforcement to work with the State’s Attorney or Attorney General to request an Extreme Risk Protection Order, a court order that can temporarily restrict a person’s access to firearms to prevent them from harming themselves or others. Finally, the legislature enacted a law that will protect survivors of domestic violence by empowering law enforcement to temporarily remove firearms from domestic violence situations before abusers use them to harm their families, law enforcement officers or others.
STATEMENT FROM ALI HARTMAN, VOLUNTEER WITH THE VERMONT CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“We are thrilled Vermont lawmakers and Governor Scott championed common sense gun reform, swiftly passing comprehensive gun violence prevention legislation for the first time in our state’s history. This is especially meaningful for Vermont and its residents in light of the averted school shooting at Fair Haven high school. These new laws will save lives — and we hope other states will follow suit to keep communities safe before another tragedy strikes.”
This legislative session, the Vermont chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America supported lawmakers and Governor Scott in their successful effort to pass these life-saving gun violence prevention bills by:
- Driving calls and digital messages to lawmakers and Governor Scott urging them to support these bills
- Working in partnership with coalition groups such as GunSense Vermont and the Vermont Network Against Domestic & Sexual Violence