Vermont Governor Vetoes Handgun Waiting Period Bill
Jose Nino
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The Burlington Free Press reported earlier this week on Vermont’s Republican Governor Phil Scott vetoing legislation that would have mandated a 24-hour waiting period to buy a handgun.
In 2018, Vermont passed a significant amount of gun control legislation such as bump stock bans and universal gun registration in the wake of the Parkland shooting.
However, Governor Scott is currently satisfied with the gun control laws that Maine has on the books and did not believe the handgun waiting period bill fully addresses areas of concern.
Scott stated, “Last year, I called for and signed a package of historic gun safety reforms because I believe they make schools, communities, families and individuals safer, while upholding Vermonters’ constitutional rights.”
The bill in question is S.169.
The governor added, “With these measures in place, we must now prioritize strategies that address the underlying causes of violence and suicide. I do not believe S.169 addresses these areas.”
Gun owners in Vermont can breathe a temporary sigh of relief.
Historically one of America’s most pro-gun states, Vermont has taken an anti-gun turn in 2018 like some other states did after the Parkland shooting.
Scott’s veto gives Vermont gun owners some breathing room, but the Pandora’s Box he opened up in 2018 could end up biting Green Mountain State gun owners in the rear in the long-term.
Gun control has not only proven difficult to repeal, but once it’s passed, it tends to lead to more gun control schemes.
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