Dear Editor,
Last March, more than 86% of Burlington residents voted to ban guns from bars because of the sensible and simple belief that guns and alcohol do not mix.
This ordinance change will make our people feel safer while they enjoy everything downtown Burlington has to offer, including our great pedestrian mall and our wonderful restaurants and pubs.
Unfortunately, we’ve yet to see it implemented.
All charter changes must be approved by the Vermont Legislature before being enacted. S.131 was approved by the Senate last year and now sits in the House Government Operations Committee awaiting action.
With such a resounding majority, the citizens of Burlington were very clear about what they wanted. The city’s voters believe the passage of this bill will help keep our downtown safer for those who work in and visit Burlington.
We hope the bill will come to a vote soon and be enacted into law. People who live far from Burlington may not realize how important we believe this charter change is, but it could very well save lives.
As a board member of GunSenseVT, a former legislator and proud resident of our beautiful city, I find it very frustrating that it isn’t the law already.
A sign on the Statehouse lawn says weapons are banned from inside the Statehouse. That makes a lot of sense to me. I get a more secure feeling when I’m in the building because of that ban.
Burlington residents want the same sense of security.
Vermont communities have the right to set reasonable safety standards for liquor licenses and smoking regulations. We would argue guns are more deadly than these things we already regulate, yet every single change to Vermont gun laws is such a struggle to get through.
About one-third of people killed in gun homicides in the United States had consumed alcohol before their deaths, and alcohol is common in nonfatal firearm assaults.
Ben Traverse, chair of the Burlington City Council, said the proposal to ban guns in bars “simply recognizes that mixing alcohol and firearms puts everyone at greater risk” and urged respect for the will of voters who twice approved bans.
This measure is about prevention — acting before a tragedy strikes, not after.
I encourage everyone who believes S.131 needs to pass the House this year to contact their own House members, all members of the House Government Operations Committee and House leadership to tell them the charter change was overwhelmingly supported by the voters of Burlington, and it’s time for them to act.
This charter change is one important step in a broader effort to keep Vermont communities safe. GunSenseVT’s 2026 legislative agenda also calls for banning assault weapons, holding the gun industry accountable and expanding safe-storage education to prevent unintentional shootings and suicides.
These measures reflect what most Vermonters already believe — that gun safety and gun rights can, and must, coexist.
Mary Sullivan, Burlington, Vt.
