Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont House Bill H0392 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

Old	New	Differences
1	1	BILL AS INTRODUCED H.392
2	2	2025 Page 1 of 4
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5	5	VT LEG #381006 v.1
6	6	H.392 1
7	7	Introduced by Representative Hooper of Burlington 2
8	8	Referred to Committee on 3
9	9	Date: 4
10	10	Subject: Firearms and dangerous weapons; State buildings and State land; 5
11	11	possession prohibited 6
12	12	Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the 7
13	13	possession of firearms and dangerous weapons in State buildings and on State 8
14	14	land. 9
15	15	An act relating to prohibiting possession of firearms and dangerous 10
16	16	weapons in State buildings and on State land 11
17	17	It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 12
18	18	Sec. 1. 13 V.S.A. § 4028 is added to read 13
19	19	§ 4028. POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS IN 14
20	20	STATE BUILDINGS AND ON STATE LAND PROHIBITED 15
21	21	(a) A person shall not knowingly possess a firearm or dangerous weapon in 16
22	22	a State building or on State land. 17
23	23	(b)(1) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be 18
24	24	imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $2,000.00, or 19
25	25	both. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.392
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29	29	VT LEG #381006 v.1
30	30	(2) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section with the intent to 1
31	31	use the firearm or dangerous weapon to commit a crime shall be imprisoned 2
32	32	for not more than five years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both. 3
33	33	(c) This section shall not apply to: 4
34	34	(1) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried for legitimate law 5
35	35	enforcement purposes by a federal law enforcement officer or a law 6
36	36	enforcement officer certified as a law enforcement officer by the Vermont 7
37	37	Criminal Justice Council pursuant to 20 V.S.A. § 2358; 8
38	38	(2) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by a person while preforming 9
39	39	the person’s official duties as an employee of the United States; a department 10
40	40	or agency of the United States; a state; or a department, agency, or political 11
41	41	subdivision of a state if the person is authorized to carry a firearm or dangerous 12
42	42	weapon as part of the person’s official duties; 13
43	43	(3) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by a member of the Vermont 14
44	44	National Guard, of the National Guard of another state, or of the U.S. Armed 15
45	45	Forces who is on duty and acting under state or federal orders; 16
46	46	(4) buildings or land or portions of buildings or land that are: 17
47	47	(A) owned or leased by the Department of Buildings and General 18
48	48	Services; and 19
49	49	(B) leased or subleased by the Department of Buildings and General 20
50	50	Services to private tenants for their exclusive use; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.392
51	51	2025 Page 3 of 4
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54	54	VT LEG #381006 v.1
55	55	(5) a sidewalk along the street frontage of State property that falls within 1
56	56	the property lines of the State property and is not physically distinguishable 2
57	57	from adjacent public sidewalks, and any paved area adjacent to and not 3
58	58	physically distinguishable from such a sidewalk; 4
59	59	(6) the lawful carrying of a firearm or dangerous weapon into a State 5
60	60	building or onto State land for a purpose authorized in advance by the 6
61	61	Department of Buildings and General Services or by the tenant agency 7
62	62	occupying or using the building or land; 8
63	63	(7) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by an instructor, educator, or 9
64	64	participant in an educational or training class conducted by an agency or entity 10
65	65	of State government while engaging in the educational or training class or 11
66	66	activity, including the Agency of Natural Resources, the Department of Fish 12
67	67	and Wildlife, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, and any other State 13
68	68	agency or entity that as part of its mission requires the use of firearms or other 14
69	69	dangerous weapons; or 15
70	70	(8) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by a person incident to lawful 16
71	71	activities, including hunting, on State-owned or State-leased lands if the person 17
72	72	is licensed as required by law and is otherwise in compliance with all appliable 18
73	73	federal, State, and municipal laws and rules, including regulations promulgated 19
74	74	by the Fish and Wildlife Board. 20
75	75	(d) As used in this section: 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED H.392
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79	79	VT LEG #381006 v.1
80	80	(1) “Dangerous or deadly weapon” means a weapon, device, instrument, 1
81	81	material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, that is used or readily 2
82	82	capable of being used to cause death or serious bodily injury, including an 3
83	83	explosive as defined in section 1603 of this title, except that “dangerous or 4
84	84	deadly weapon” does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 2.5 5
85	85	inches in length. 6
86	86	(2) “Firearm” has the same meaning as in subsection 4017(d) of this title. 7
87	87	(3) “State building” means a building or part of a building owned or 8
88	88	leased by the Department of Buildings and General Services where State 9
89	89	employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official 10
90	90	duties and includes all owned or leased State buildings, structures, and 11
91	91	appurtenances under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Buildings and 12
92	92	General Services except as provided in 29 V.S.A. § 152(a)(9) and 29 V.S.A. 13
93	93	chapter 5A. 14
94	94	(4) “State land” means all State-owned or State-leased land and grounds 15
95	95	under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Buildings and General Services 16
96	96	except as provided in 29 V.S.A. § 152(a)(9) and 29 V.S.A. chapter 5A. 17
97	97	Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 18
98	98	This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 19