The House advanced a bill Thursday evening that would strengthen firearms background checks and ban guns in hospitals. S.4 was approved with a 90-42 vote.
“I would like to start by warning the members of the body not to be frightened as I present this bill,” said Rep. William Notte, D-Rutland City, who introduced the background check component of the bill earlier this session. “If anyone feels a deep sense of déjà vu, there’s nothing eerie going on here.”
Legislators may have done a double-take because just last month, the House passed S.30, a nearly identical bill that Gov. Phil Scott eventually vetoed. But whereas S.30 would have required background checks to come back clean before the purchase of a firearm, S.4 allows seven business days — a number chosen by Scott — for the completion of background checks. If the check is not completed by then, the sale could proceed.
Current law allows firearms transfers to proceed after three business days.
S.4 also codifies existing practices, such as the ability of judges to temporarily seize a firearm from an alleged domestic abuser.
One component of S.4 seen as a compromise to Republicans allows out-of-staters to bring high-capacity magazines into Vermont for shooting competitions.
Rep. Barbara Murphy, I-Fairfax, expressed frustration that the definition of a hospital in S.4 does not include urgent care facilities, but she ultimately did not submit an amendment to the bill, citing the already arduous process the bill has undergone.
While S.4 will give the Federal Bureau of Investigations more time to complete background checks, it may not give officials enough time to thoroughly investigate domestic abusers.
On Tuesday, Sarah Robinson, deputy director of the Vermont Network Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, testified before the House Judiciary Committee that it takes an average of nine to 10 days for background checks involving misdemeanor domestic violence cases to be completely reviewed and denied.
Following the onset of the pandemic, Vermont performed over 60% more gun-purchase background checks in 2020 than in 2019, according to data from the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
Gun sales remained relatively stable in 2021, falling slightly but still well above pre-pandemic levels.
S.4 will need a final vote of approval in the House before arriving on Scott’s desk.
