The Vermont Senate passed a bill Friday that would both raise the legal age for purchasing guns from 16 to 21 and mandate universal background checks.
Debate focused on raising the legal age; the Senate had given preliminary approval to universal background checks on Thursday.
The age-limit proposal came from Senate President Pro Tempore Tim Ashe (D/P-Chittenden) and 15 cosponsors, effectively guaranteeing its passage in the 30-member Senate.
On the Senate floor, Ashe said the goal behind that proposal was to keep young people from impulsively harming themselves or others.
In response to concerns raised by Senate Judiciary Committee chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington), Ashe said the bill was written not to limit the borrowing or gifting of firearms. It also wouldn’t impact hunting traditions, he said.
The legislation includes exceptions for members of the military and law enforcement officers who are purchasing guns for their official duties.
Sen. John Rodgers (D-Essex/Orleans) opposed both universal background checks and raising the purchasing age. The government recognizes the maturity of people who are 18 by allowing them to vote and join the military, he said.
“I have a son in the Navy who is into guns and hunting,” Rodgers said. “And what you’re saying is, when he comes home off-duty and he’s under 21, he can’t purchase a firearm for hunting or personal protection or anything else.”
Sen. Joe Benning (R-Caledonia) also opposed both measures. He recalled attending protests during the Vietnam War in which young people rejected the notion that they could be drafted at 18 but couldn’t vote until age 21.
“This is counter to what my generation fought for,” Benning said after the vote, “and counter to what my oath of office requires me to protect.”
Ashe’s amendment to raise the legal age to purchase firearms passed by a vote of 21 to 9. The underlying legislation, which also included the universal background check amendment, passed on a tighter vote of 17 to 13.
The House has not yet taken up legislation to raise the gun-purchasing age or to mandate universal background checks. On Friday, the House gave final approval to a bill that would allow police to confiscate guns at the scene of a domestic violence arrest and create a process that allows police to take guns away from people whom a judge deems an “extreme risk.”
Many House Republicans opposed that bill, saying that confiscating guns before a court is involved violates Vermonters’ rights to due process.
A flurry of activity on gun legislation began two weeks ago after authorities said they had foiled a teen’s plot to shoot Fair Haven Union High School students. The teen’s arrest came to light just two days after a gunman shot and killed 17 people in a high school in Parkland, Fla.
Gov. Phil Scott, who had previously considered the state’s gun laws adequate, called for gun control bills and school safety measures.
Disclosure: Tim Ashe is the domestic partner of Seven Days publisher and coeditor Paula Routly. Find our conflict-of-interest policy here: sevendaysvt.com/disclosure.
Correction, March 3, 2018: A previous version of this story erroneously reported that the Fourth Amendment guarantees Americans’ rights to due process. The “due process” clauses are in the Fifth and Fourteenth amendments to the Constitution.
Related Stories
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
Senator Benning recalled attending protests during the Vietnam War in which young people rejected the notion that they could be drafted at 18 but couldnt vote until age 21. This is counter to what my generation fought for.
Actually, its not. In Bennings (and my) youth, our argument was that if we were going to be asked to kill and die in a war, we should be able to vote for it (and for the draft). Those of us who opposed the war thought we should at least have the right to vote against it. Now 18 years can do so.
18 year olds are still vote for every decision, including this one; this bill doesnt change that. However, they will have to wait until they are 21 to buy (legally) a weapon that can be used for killing.
And Id point out that its kids who are providing a lot of the energy behind these bills to do something about gun control.
Include with the bill raising the voting age to 21, the democrats would kill it.
Continued biased censorship on the part of SevenDays… Read your own guidelines people. What part of my comment was not in line?
So I’ve looked over the commenting guidelines, you put a link to. It doesn’t prohibit posting of links at all. Nowhere.
This is not a good direction, Vermont legislators. We willingly send our young adults off to war and we believe they’re mature enough to serve in law enforcement, both of which involve life and death decision making. We believe they possess adequate judgement to elect our representatives. And, we will still allow them to possess firearms, but we won’t allow them to submit to a background check and purchase one?
Vermont has always upheld the premise of allowing our citizens to live life as they wish, as long as they don’t infringe upon others’ rights to do the same. Until now…
The only thing that stops a bad guy with a gun is Chuck Norris.
So what will be next the states leaders will change the voting age to 21 so that the people they just took constitutional rights from wont vote them out. Young people take some time and read the constitution. Its not guns that are doing harm to your quality of life its the rich power tyrants that are unwilling to give up power. With no arms you will loss your freedom and will just be another slave to powerful elite. Use your voices at the voting booth to get these people out of office before its to late.
To dcot: thanks for the inane lecture, Captain Obvious.
The internet is not a democracy, Freedom. Websites (the press) can set rules for whom they’d like to join the discussion (editorial). You’re free to think what you want, but following the terms of service of a website needs to be followed. Most don’t even read the TOS. Take it from someone who runs a website.
Like the old age saying, “if you don’t like it, don’t use it and leave the rest of us alone”.
We already have a militia that screens (hopefully) people to have guns. It’s called the National Guard. Militia doesn’t mean rag tag, living in the woods, camouflage person, freedom fighter running around with an AK 47. That’s what video games are for instead of playing army in the woods.