| 1 | 1 | | BILL AS INTRODUCED H.368 |
|---|
| 2 | 2 | | 2025 Page 1 of 3 |
|---|
| 3 | 3 | | |
|---|
| 4 | 4 | | |
|---|
| 5 | 5 | | VT LEG #378846 v.1 |
|---|
| 6 | 6 | | H.368 1 |
|---|
| 7 | 7 | | Introduced by Representatives LaLonde of South Burlington, Harrison of 2 |
|---|
| 8 | 8 | | Chittenden, Arsenault of Williston, and Black of Essex 3 |
|---|
| 9 | 9 | | Referred to Committee on 4 |
|---|
| 10 | 10 | | Date: 5 |
|---|
| 11 | 11 | | Subject: Firearms; government buildings; possession prohibited 6 |
|---|
| 12 | 12 | | Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the 7 |
|---|
| 13 | 13 | | possession of firearms in government buildings. 8 |
|---|
| 14 | 14 | | An act relating to prohibiting possession of firearms in government 9 |
|---|
| 15 | 15 | | buildings 10 |
|---|
| 16 | 16 | | It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11 |
|---|
| 17 | 17 | | Sec. 1. 13 V.S.A. § 4028 is added to read 12 |
|---|
| 18 | 18 | | § 4028. POSSESSION OF FIREARMS IN GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS 13 |
|---|
| 19 | 19 | | PROHIBITED 14 |
|---|
| 20 | 20 | | (a) A person shall not knowingly possess a firearm in a government 15 |
|---|
| 21 | 21 | | building. 16 |
|---|
| 22 | 22 | | (b) A person who violates this section shall be imprisoned for not more 17 |
|---|
| 23 | 23 | | than one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both. 18 |
|---|
| 24 | 24 | | (c) This section shall not apply to: 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.368 |
|---|
| 25 | 25 | | 2025 Page 2 of 3 |
|---|
| 26 | 26 | | |
|---|
| 27 | 27 | | |
|---|
| 28 | 28 | | VT LEG #378846 v.1 |
|---|
| 29 | 29 | | (1) a firearm carried for legitimate law enforcement purposes by a 1 |
|---|
| 30 | 30 | | federal law enforcement officer or a law enforcement officer certified as a law 2 |
|---|
| 31 | 31 | | enforcement officer by the Vermont Criminal Justice Council pursuant to 20 3 |
|---|
| 32 | 32 | | V.S.A. § 2358; or 4 |
|---|
| 33 | 33 | | (2) a firearm carried by a person while preforming the person’s official 5 |
|---|
| 34 | 34 | | duties as an employee of the United States; a department or agency of the 6 |
|---|
| 35 | 35 | | United States; a state; or a department, agency, or political subdivision of a 7 |
|---|
| 36 | 36 | | state if the person is authorized to carry a firearm as part of the person’s 8 |
|---|
| 37 | 37 | | official duties. 9 |
|---|
| 38 | 38 | | (d) Notice of the provisions of this section shall be posted conspicuously at 10 |
|---|
| 39 | 39 | | each public entrance to each government building. 11 |
|---|
| 40 | 40 | | (e) As used in this section: 12 |
|---|
| 41 | 41 | | (1) “Firearm” has the same meaning as in subsection 4017(d) of this 13 |
|---|
| 42 | 42 | | title. 14 |
|---|
| 43 | 43 | | (2)(A) “Government building” means a building owned, leased, rented, 15 |
|---|
| 44 | 44 | | or operated by the State, a political subdivision of the State, or a municipality. 16 |
|---|
| 45 | 45 | | (B) “Government building” does not include a building owned, 17 |
|---|
| 46 | 46 | | leased, rented, or operated by a municipality, or a portion of such a building, if 18 |
|---|
| 47 | 47 | | the legislative body of the municipality has by resolution or ordinance: 19 |
|---|
| 48 | 48 | | (i) designated the building or portion of the building as a location 20 |
|---|
| 49 | 49 | | where firearms are permitted; or 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.368 |
|---|
| 50 | 50 | | 2025 Page 3 of 3 |
|---|
| 51 | 51 | | |
|---|
| 52 | 52 | | |
|---|
| 53 | 53 | | VT LEG #378846 v.1 |
|---|
| 54 | 54 | | (ii) opted out of this section and designated that all buildings 1 |
|---|
| 55 | 55 | | owned, leased, rented, or operated by the municipality are locations where 2 |
|---|
| 56 | 56 | | firearms are permitted. 3 |
|---|
| 57 | 57 | | Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 4 |
|---|
| 58 | 58 | | This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 5 |
|---|