Rep. Brian Keefe (R-Manchester) left the Vermont Statehouse last Friday night after a 10-hour gun-control debate convinced he’d done the right thing by voting “no.” He had supported three out of four measures included in the landmark legislation: raising the purchasing age to 21 and banning bump stocks and high-capacity magazines. But he’d had reservations about the fourth — requiring background checks for all gun sales — so he had opposed the underlying bill.
That night, the House gave preliminary approval to the legislation, known as S.55, on an 85-59 vote.
Four days and another six hours of debate later, Keefe had another chance to weigh in on the bill Tuesday night. This time, the Manchester Republican voted for it, joining an 89-54 majority in sending it back to the Senate.
During those two days of voting, members of the Vermont House considered no fewer than 15 amendments. The abundance of roll-call votes offered an unusually clear and detailed look at how 150 state reps approached the politics and policy of gun laws. Seven Days compiled the results of five of the most controversial amendments, as well as Friday’s and Tuesday’s votes on the underlying bill, and interviewed lawmakers about their decisions. (See chart below illustrating how each House member voted.)
Among the most popular amendments was one banning bump stocks, which allow semiautomatic rifles to fire more rapidly. A number of Republicans voted for the bump stock ban, which passed 119-25, but against the other measures.
Some Democrats opposed the increase in purchasing age, which passed 88-56, but supported the other major provisions. There were members of both parties who took issue with the ban on high-capacity magazines (passed 79-66) but supported the bump stock ban, background checks (passed 83-61) and the increased purchasing age.
For his part, Keefe said he worried that requiring background checks for private sales would hurt law-abiding gun owners. He supported an unsuccessful amendment Friday that would have allowed law enforcement, in addition to federally licensed gun dealers, to conduct those checks — an option he thought “would have been a lot less costly and less inconvenient.”
Ultimately, Keefe said he backed the underlying bill on Tuesday, despite his reservations, because of what he heard from constituents over the weekend. While he received plenty of feedback from both sides, he was particularly surprised by “the energy and the passion” of S.55 supporters. “I heard from people I didn’t expect to who were advising me I should vote for this,” Keefe said. “I’m convinced that my constituents wanted me to vote for this.”
Rep. Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe) had similar concerns about the background checks, although she supported the concept in principle. “To me, anyway, it’s different than a couch that you’re selling on Front Porch Forum,” she said.
Scheuermann voted against that provision and the magazine ban, which she deemed unenforceable. Still, she voted for the underlying bill on both days because, she explained, “I didn’t think that my concerns were enough to preclude my support for the overall bill.”
Rep. Jim Harrison (R-Chittenden) went the other way. Like Scheuermann, he supported the bump stock ban and the increase in purchasing age, but his opposition to the background checks and high-capacity magazine ban led him to oppose the bill. Had the amendment to allow background checks by law enforcement passed, he “probably would have supported the underlying bill,” Harrison said. “At the end of the day, I’m probably gonna get everybody upset with me.”
Even more popular than the bump stock ban was a provision approved Tuesday that would allow Vermont gun manufacturers to continue to produce high-capacity magazines. It was proposed in response to concerns that the legislation could put Century International Arms, which operates a plant in the town of Georgia, out of business. A broad coalition of Republicans and Democrats supported the amendment (passed 123-21), while Progressives and a smattering of Democrats opposed it.
Scheuermann and Keefe were two of six Republicans who ended up voting for the underlying legislation on Tuesday. The others were: Reps. Dennis Devereux (R-Mount Holly), Fred Baser (R-Bristol), Kurt Wright (R-Burlington) and Peter Fagan (R-Rutland). Three of them — Keefe, Devereux and Wright — switched from “nay” to “yea” to between Friday and Tuesday.
Rep. Sam Young (D-Glover) was one of six Democrats who voted against S.55. The others were Reps. Chip Conquest (D-Wells River), Daniel Noyes (D-Wolcott), David Potter (D-Rutland), Timothy Corcoran (D-Bennington) and Jay Hooper (D-Brookfield).
Young, who missed Friday’s vote due to a family emergency, said he supported the bump stock ban and the increase in purchasing age. But the Northeast Kingdom rep opposed the magazine ban provision, deeming it unenforceable, and the expansion of background checks.
Young, whose brother committed suicide with a gun, has spoken poignantly in the past about the need for certain restrictions on gun ownership. But he also represents a decidedly pro-gun district. “My voter contacts on this issue were 10 to one against,” Young said. “The clear majority of the people in my district that care about this were totally against it.”
Correction, March 29, 2018: Rep. Jay Hooper voted against S.55; Rep. Linda Joy Sullivan voted yes on the manufacturer exemption, and Rep. Harvey Smith voted for the bump stock ban. Due to a data glitch on our end, their votes were incorrectly recorded. Rep. Heidi Scheuermann (R-Stowe) voted for the underlying bill both days. An earlier version of this story misstated that.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
This is proof that no additional laws will affect criminals wanting to get guns in the state of Vermont.
We are living in a drug-induced society and people who want guns will get them anyway they can regardless of what the Socialists under the golden dome in Montpelier or telling you.. they are pushing for the destruction of the state of Vermont..
https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbi…
I feel so sorry for the kids that are being led to believe S.55 will make them or their schools safer. This bill is nothing more then a feel good bill and an out right attack on our constitutional rights. Bow tie wearing men from California are a much greater danger to VT/VTers then guns will ever be.
People don’t like statistics from the FBI?
What about loving science?
That’s a really interesting and helpful analysis. Thanks for taking the time to compile all that data. Apart from the underlying gun issues, it’s interesting to note that the Progressives tended to track Democrats (which is very logical and expected), while Independents tended to track Republicans. That seems like the way the voting has been going overall, but it was interesting to see it presented so clearly, and helps clarify that in at least a few cases Independents are really just Republicans who won’t carry that label in their districts.
https://ucr.fbi.gov/crime-in-the-u.s/2014/crime-in-the-u.s.-2014/tables/table-1/table_1_crime_in_the_united_states_by_volume_and_rate_per_100000_inhabitants_1995-2014.xls
My voter contacts on this issue were 10 to one against, Young said.
It’s disappointing that Rep. Young chooses to only represent the squeaky wheels who contact his office and not ALL the people who live in his district. Good governance demands more from today’s elected officials.
Hi Walter, that was an error on our end. It should have read “magazines” and now does. Thanks for the catch!
I’m crying and extending my deepest gratitude for the bravery of our Vermont legislators in helping to enact sensible regulations. Canada and Australia have plenty of citizens owning assault rifles, but they require reasonable steps in order to purchase military weaponry. These countries have mentally ill people and people who own guns without children being slaughtered in schools. America does not only due to the tyranny of NRA lobbyists.
Vermonters can have guns and our children can grow up without being terrorized with shooter drills in school. On behalf of my children, thank you. It’s unconscionable that our once peaceful country has become like Syria and Afghanistan with armed civilians murdering children on a daily basis. And too many adults do nothing. Your right to own a gun does not supersede our children’s right to grow up in peace and safety. Thank you Vermont and thank you Governor Scott for being on the forefront of sensible and compassionate legislation. #NeverAgain
Would someone with please explain what “high capacity ammunition” is? Could Seven Days please help out?Alicia Freese, could you enquire about this? Thanks
This is a portion of testimony that I submitted to the senate committee today..
I congratulate all of those who have the backbone to stand up for what is right in the state of Vermont and continue to defend the rights of vermonters to own guns without restriction.
And I am saddened by those it would violate their oath of office to give false security to those who are fooled by their actions..
As I was standing in the hallway the other day waiting for the session to begin I noticed this on the wall right outside of the entrance to the chambers and it really struck my heart… Abraham Lincoln came to visit the troops but he wasn’t interested in seeing his major generals, he came to see the Vermont Brigade..
I would encourage each and everyone of you to take a moment to go look at this on our wall in the State House…
Image
That same Vermont Brigade are the men women and children who are taking time off from their jobs at the risk of losing those jobs to be present in this building while you attempt to strip their constitutional rights away from them.