The Vermont House Judiciary Committee is scheduled to take testimony Wednesday morning on H.606, an omnibus firearms bill that would expand several areas of state gun law and open the door to new civil liability against members of the firearm industry.
The committee is expected to take up the bill during its 9 a.m. hearing, with testimony from legislative counsel, prosecutors, gun-rights organizations, and national gun-control advocacy groups.
Gun Owners of Vermont has issued an alert urging Vermonters to contact lawmakers and attend the hearing, arguing the proposal combines multiple policy changes into a single bill and is moving forward quickly ahead of the Legislature’s crossover deadline.
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What H.606 Would Change
The bill itself contains five separate provisions affecting Vermont firearm law.
First, it would amend Vermont’s grand larceny statute so that stealing a firearm of any value would automatically qualify as felony grand larceny. Under current law, theft generally must exceed $900 to qualify for that charge.
Second, the bill increases penalties for repeat violations of Vermont’s existing prohibition on firearm possession by individuals convicted of violent crimes. A first offense would remain punishable by up to two years in prison or a $1,000 fine. A second or subsequent violation could bring penalties of up to three years in prison and a $5,000 fine.
Third, H.606 expands categories of individuals prohibited from possessing firearms to include people who have been found by a court to be “a person in need of treatment” under Vermont’s mental health statutes or who are subject to certain court-ordered hospitalization or non-hospitalization treatment orders. The bill includes a process allowing individuals to petition the court for relief from the firearms prohibition.
Fourth, the bill expands Vermont’s existing prohibition on bump-fire stocks to include machine guns, auto sears, and other “rapid-fire devices” that increase the rate of fire of a firearm or accelerate trigger activation.
The definition of “rapid-fire device” in the bill includes any accessory designed to increase a firearm’s firing speed or trigger rate.
New Civil Liability for the Firearms Industry
The final section of the bill creates a new section of Vermont law allowing firearm manufacturers, distributors, and retailers to face civil liability if their conduct contributes to a “public nuisance.”
Under the proposal, firearm industry members could be held liable if they knowingly create or maintain a public nuisance through the sale, manufacture, marketing, or distribution of firearm-related products. The measure also requires industry members to establish “reasonable controls” intended to prevent unlawful sales, trafficking, or diversion of firearms.
The Attorney General would have authority to bring civil actions under the proposed statute, and private parties could also pursue claims similar to those allowed under Vermont’s consumer protection laws.
The liability provision mirrors a legal strategy adopted in several other states, including New York and New Jersey, which attempt to hold gun manufacturers and sellers responsible for downstream harms linked to criminal misuse of firearms.
Supporters of gun-rights protections argue the approach conflicts with federal law known as the Protection of Lawful Commerce in Arms Act (PLCAA), which limits lawsuits against firearm manufacturers when crimes are committed with their products.
Vermont’s Constitutional Context
Gun Owners of Vermont says the legislation represents another attempt to add restrictions to a state that historically recognized broad firearms rights.
Article 16 of the Vermont Constitution states that “the people have a right to bear arms for the defence of themselves and the State.” The language predates the U.S. Bill of Rights and has long been cited by advocates of Vermont’s historically permissive gun laws.
Vermont already regulates firearm possession in several ways, including prohibitions for violent felons and individuals under certain abuse prevention orders, as well as background checks for most private gun sales, waiting periods for firearm purchases, and restrictions on large-capacity magazines.
Critics of the bill argue the new proposal adds additional layers of regulation rather than addressing enforcement of existing laws.
The Cost of Defending Gun Laws
While H.606 does not yet have a publicly posted fiscal note, Vermont has already spent taxpayer money defending earlier firearm laws in court. According to the state’s FY2025 Complex Litigation Annual Report, Vermont spent $32,310 on outside counsel related to the defense of its firearm laws, along with an additional $11,561 in litigation expenses tied to firearm-law defense and PFAS matters. In FY2024, the state reported $131,985 for expert witnesses and $50,610 for outside counsel related to defense of Vermont’s firearm laws.
Gun Owners of Vermont Calls for Demonstration
Gun Owners of Vermont President Eric Davis said the organization plans to hold a peaceful demonstration during Wednesday’s hearing and is asking supporters to attend wearing orange shirts in solidarity with gun owners concerned about the bill.
The organization has also encouraged Vermonters to contact members of the House Judiciary Committee directly.
Members of the committee include:
Martin LaLonde (Chair) — mlalonde@leg.state.vt.us
Tom Burditt (Vice Chair) — tburditt@leg.state.vt.us
Kevin “Coach” Christie — kchristie@leg.state.vt.us
Angela Arsenault — aarsenault@leg.state.vt.us
Karen Dolan — kndolan@leg.state.vt.us
Ian Goodnow — igoodnow@leg.state.vt.us
Ken Goslant — kgoslant@leg.state.vt.us
Zachary Harvey — zharvey@leg.state.vt.us
Alicia Malay — amalay@leg.state.vt.us
Thomas Oliver — toliver@leg.state.vt.us
Barbara Rachelson — brachelson@leg.state.vt.us
What Happens Next
The committee hearing is expected to include testimony from representatives of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, the National Rifle Association, Everytown for Gun Safety, and Giffords Law Center.
If approved by the Judiciary Committee, the bill could move to the House floor before the Legislature’s crossover deadline later this week.
Dave Soulia | FYIVT
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