| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.20 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 2 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #379323 v.1 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | H.20 1 |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | SHORT FORM 2 |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | Introduced by Representative Yacovone of Morristown 3 |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | Referred to Committee on 4 |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | Date: 5 |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Subject: Firearms; voluntary storage program 6 |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to establish a 7 |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | voluntary program in which persons in crisis would have the opportunity to 8 |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | temporarily relinquish their firearms to federally licensed firearms dealers. 9 |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | The program would include the following elements: 10 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | (1) Federally licensed firearms dealers in Vermont would have the 11 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | option to choose to participate in a temporary firearms storage program for 12 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | persons in crisis. 13 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | (2) A person experiencing a mental health or other relevant crisis could 14 |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | bring their firearms to a participating firearms dealer for temporary 15 |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | safekeeping. 16 |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (3) The program would authorize participating dealers to temporarily 17 |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | store the person’s firearms until the person is no longer in crisis. The program 18 |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | would provide criminal and civil immunity from liability to participating 19 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | dealers for any harm resulting from the dealer’s acceptance, storage, return, or 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.20 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | 2025 Page 2 of 2 |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | VT LEG #379323 v.1 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | refusal to return the firearm, provided the dealer acts in good faith to follow 1 |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | program rules and procedures. 2 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | (4) Persons who relinquish firearms to participating dealers through the 3 |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | program would also receive immunity from liability for actions they take in 4 |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | good faith reliance on program rules and procedures. Confidentiality 5 |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | provisions in the program would allow persons to relinquish their firearms 6 |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | without being stigmatized for being in crisis. 7 |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | (5) Training would be provided to participating dealers in order to 8 |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | provide them with sufficient relevant knowledge to exercise discretion when 9 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | determining whether to return a firearm that a person had stored with the dealer 10 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | pursuant to the program. 11 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (6) The program would be designed to offer support to persons in crisis 12 |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | by allowing them to safely and temporarily relinquish their firearms, thereby 13 |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | reducing accessibility to firearms in moments of crisis and helping to lower 14 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | suicide rates in Vermont. 15 |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | An act relating to establishing a voluntary firearms storage program for 16 |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | persons in crisis 17 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 18 |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (TEXT OMITTED IN SHORT-FORM BILLS) 19 |
|---|