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Vermont lawmakers narrowly advance bill increasing gun restrictions and crimes
The bill seeks to reduce firearm deaths, with suicides accounting for 85% of such deaths in Vermont, by restricting gun ownership among court-ordered outpatient mental health patients.
- On Friday, the Vermont House Judiciary Committee narrowly advanced H.606 to expand gun restrictions, with six Democrats voting for and five Republicans against, meeting the deadline.
- H.606 would, for the first time under Vermont law, largely ban machine guns and conversion devices, and make firearm theft a felony with increased penalties.
- During Wednesday and Thursday hearings, witnesses sharply contested H.606: Chris Bradley said it would unjustly strip Second Amendment rights, Rep. Zak Harvey urged removing outpatient restrictions, and Suzanne Lurie urged passage.
- Under H.606 the restriction applies only while a court order is active, and gun rights can be restored post-treatment, but Representative Barbara Rachelson warned that scarce mental-health facilities complicate applying outpatient court orders fairly.
- Suicides account for 85 percent of firearm deaths in Vermont, a statistic supporters used to justify restrictions, while opponents argue courts’ community rulings should preserve gun rights, Bradley said.
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Vermont lawmakers narrowly advance bill increasing gun restrictions and crimes - The Boston Globe
Committee members passed the bill Friday just in time to meet a deadline that day, when bills generally must make it out of committee to get a chance at becoming law.
·Boston, United States
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Associated Press News+4 Reposted by 4 other sources
Vermont lawmakers narrowly advance bill increasing gun restrictions and crimes
Representatives in the House Judiciary Committee narrowly advanced a bill to increase restrictions on guns in Vermont, with members divided along party lines.
·United States
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Total News Sources7
Leaning Left2Leaning Right0Center5Last UpdatedBias Distribution71% Center
Bias Distribution
- 71% of the sources are Center
71% Center
L 29%
C 71%
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