BILL AS INTRODUCED S.22
2025 Page 1 of 2
VT LEG #379680 v.1
S.22 1
Introduced by Senator Perchlik 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Criminal procedure; firearms; discharge within 500 feet of child care 5
facility or school 6
Statement of purpose of bill as introduced: This bill proposes to prohibit the 7
discharge of a firearm within 500 feet of a child care facility or school. 8
An act relating to prohibiting discharge of firearms within 500 feet of a 9
child care facility or school 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 13 V.S.A. § 4004a is added to read: 12
§ 4004a. FIREARM DISCHARGE WITHIN 500 FEET OF CHILD CARE 13
FACILITY OR SCHOOL PROPERTY 14
(a) A person shall not knowingly discharge a firearm within 500 feet of: 15
(1) school property; or 16
(2) a child care facility that the person knows or reasonably should 17
know is open for business at the time of the discharge. 18
(b) A person who violates this section shall be imprisoned not more than 19
one year or fined not more than $1,000.00, or both. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.22
2025 Page 2 of 2
VT LEG #379680 v.1
(c) This section shall not apply to the discharge of a firearm for legitimate 1
law enforcement purposes by a federal law enforcement officer or a law 2
enforcement officer certified as a law enforcement officer by the Vermont 3
Criminal Justice Council pursuant to 20 V.S.A. § 2358. 4
(d) As used in this section: 5
(1) “Child care facility” means: 6
(A) a child care facility as defined in 33 V.S.A. § 511; or 7
(B) a prequalified private prekindergarten provider as defined in 8
16 V.S.A. § 829. 9
(2) “Firearm” has the same meaning as in section 4016 of this title. 10
(3) “Owned by the school” means owned, leased, controlled, or 11
subcontracted by the school. 12
(4) “School property” means any property owned by a school. 13
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 14
This act shall take effect on passage. 15