The Burlington City Council has approved two gun control measures and sent a third back to committee.
Burlington Councilors reviewed three proposed gun laws Monday evening. Two measures that would require safe storage of firearms and that would ban guns in bars were passed by the council and will move forward to public hearings prior to a Town Meeting day vote. The third proposal to allow police to seize guns from domestic violence suspects was sent back to the charter change committee. City Council President Democrat Joan Shannon notes they had earlier approved the conceptual proposals and Monday night approved the actual ballot language.
Ward 6 City Councillor Democrat Norm Blais sponsored the charter change proposals.
If passed by voters on Town Meeting Day, the charter changes must also be approved by the state Legislature. And that means scrutiny by statewide groups. The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs Vice President Evan Hughes says they oppose a politicized attack on the Vermont Sportsman’s Bill of Rights.
Gun Sense Vermont Lead Organizer Ann Braden says the Burlington City Council is acting because the state Legislature has done nothing to address gun issues such as safe storage.
Public hearings on the two approved provisions have been scheduled for January 17th and 27th. Council President Joan Shannon expects that the third measure will be voted on during the Council’s December 16th meeting. If approved, it will be added to the agenda of the January public hearings.
