The Senate will hold a public hearing on S.31, a bill that would require gun purchasers to undergo criminal background checks, on Tuesday, Feb. 10. The hearing, which will be held in the House Chamber of the Statehouse in Montpelier, starts at 5:30 p.m. and ends at 8 p.m.
Witnesses may sign up to testify 30 minutes in advance of the hearing. Each person who testifies gets two minutes to speak.
Senate President Pro Tem John Campbell and Majority Leader of the Senate Philip Baruth and Sen. Claire Ayer, all Democrats, are sponsoring the bill.
The legislation would prohibit violent offenders from possessing guns and require criminal background checks for private gun sales. The bill also mandates that the judiciary branch report to the National Instant Criminal Background Check System that an individual has been hospitalized for psychiatric care through a court order or is incompetent to stand trial because of a mental illness.
The Vermont Federation of Sportsmen opposes the bill and held a meet and greet with lawmakers last week.
Gunsense Vermont, an advocacy group, pressed for the drafting of S.31.
Both groups are urging members to attend the hearing on Feb. 10.
