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