Last June, Governor Scott vetoed S.169, a bill to impose additional gun
restrictions on Vermonters, including a 24 hour waiting period to
purchase a handgun.
Now, the ball is in the court of the
Legislature to decide whether to sustain or override this veto. As the
Governor mentioned in his veto message, it’s imperative we focus on the
root causes of violence and mental illness–not enact additional
restrictions on law-abiding citizens. That’s why the Governor’s budget
proposal includes investments in our mental health system and programs
that work like the Zero Suicide initiative.
Here’s the reality: We need to take action to address the underlying causes before
someone buys a gun and pulls the trigger–not after. And we can’t
penalize the tens of thousands of law-abiding gun owners in Vermont in
the process. After all, a right delayed is a right denied.
You can contact your legislators by clicking here. Please, send them an email or call them and ask them to vote to sustain the Governor’s veto on this bill, not override it.
Then, this November, let’s send them another message by electing
Republican candidates who won’t pass legislation like this in the first
place, and instead focus on addressing the fundamental causes of
violence and mental health issues in the first place. If you want to be
one of the candidates who will join us to put an end to misguided gun
legislation, click here and express your interest in running!
Sincerely,
Deb Billado
Chairwoman, VTGOP
