U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)-– On June 1, 2022, S. 281 was signed by Republican Governor Phil Scott of Vermont. An amendment removing the ban on the use of suppressors for hunting in Vermont was passed as part of the bill, which regulated the hunting of coyotes with dogs.
The bill passed the Vermont House on May 4, 2022. The vote was 89 for, 49 against. At that time, the bill only contained the regulation of coyote hunting with dogs. The final legislation was a compromise on hunting regulation of coyotes and the use of suppressors for hunting.
The amendment to remove the ban on hunting with suppressors was added on 10 May 2022. From the American Suppressor Association:
MONTPELIER, VERMONT – Today, Governor Phil Scott (R-VT) signed S. 281 into law, making Vermont the 41st state to allow the use of suppressors while hunting. The ASA-backed pro-suppressor provision of the bill, championed by Representatives Pat Brennan (R-Chittenden-9-2) and George Till (D-Chittenden-3), was amended into the legislation during the floor debate in the House of Representatives on May 10th. It passed the Senate as amended the very next day. The new law, which carries a two-year sunset provision, will take effect on July 1st.
The bill passed the Vermont Senate on a voice vote on 11 May 2022.
The original bill was an attempt to make hunting coyotes with dogs illegal in Vermont. As part of the compromises made in passing the bill, regulations on hunting coyotes with dogs were required, and the ban on hunting with suppressors was lifted.
The bill will take effect on July 1, 2022. With the reform, Vermont becomes the 41st state to restore the legal ability to hunt with suppressors/silencers.
A sunset clause was included in the bill so that all provisions would expire on July 1, 2024.
The suppressor reform was not mentioned in the Vermont Public Radio paragraph about the bill’s passage.
The importance of passing the bill is: There will be two years without a ban on the use of suppressors in hunting in Vermont.
Supporters will be able to show two years without problems. This is what has happened in other states.
The use of suppressors while hunting is common in Europe, Africa, and New Zealand.
Supporters of European-style gun regulation fall silent about the widespread use of suppressors in Europe.
The only state which allows widespread ownership of suppressors, but does not allow their use in hunting, is Connecticut.
Eight states continue the irrational ban on the ownership and use of suppressors/silencers/gun mufflers.
They are the usual suspects; states which have infringed on Second Amendment rights for decades: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey, and Rhode Island.
Of the six states which do not have state protection for the right to keep and bear arms in their state constitution, four are on this list.
Iowa will almost certainly add the right to keep and bear arms to its constitution in 2022.
The hearing protection act, which would have removed suppressors from the bizarre regulatory and tax regime of the National Firearms Act, was primarily prevented from passing in 2017 by House Speaker Paul Ryan.
Prediction:
As the use of silencers becomes legal, accepted, and common across the nation, they will be accepted into the states which currently infringe on Second Amendment rights.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
The only reason this was passed or signed by Benedict Scott,RINO of Vermont is two spongers Reps Pat Brennan and George Till and Vermonters.
FBS
Hope Vermonters don’t think they’re safe in the Shire now, as gun Hobbits did in Arizona after Con Carry, so they did NOTHING to stop The Big Steal
I have never been a fan of dog hunting, either as a hunter or a bystander. That said, as invasive and harmful as coyotes are in many states, why are they banning the use of dogs in hunting these problem pests?
I guess any loosening of gun laws is good, but I bet most Vermont gun owners would rather have seen the standard capacity magazine ban lifted.