BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
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S.141 1
Introduced by Senators White and Clarkson 2
Referred to Committee on 3
Date: 4
Subject: Firearms and dangerous weapons; State buildings; possession 5
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. 8
An act relating to prohibiting possession of firearms and dangerous 9
weapons in State buildings 10
It is hereby enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Vermont: 11
Sec. 1. 13 V.S.A. § 4028 is added to read 12
§ 4028. POSSESSION OF FIREARMS AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS IN 13
STATE BUILDINGS PROHIBITED 14
(a) A person shall not knowingly possess a firearm or dangerous weapon in 15
a State building. 16
(b)(1) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be 17
imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $2,000.00, or 18
both. 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
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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 portions of buildings 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 S.141
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(5) the lawful carrying of a firearm or dangerous weapon into a State 1
building for a purpose authorized in advance by the Department of Buildings 2
and General Services or by the tenant agency occupying or using the building; 3
or 4
(6) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by an instructor, educator, or 5
participant in an educational or training class conducted by an agency or entity 6
of State government while engaging in the educational or training class or 7
activity, including the Agency of Natural Resources, the Department of Fish 8
and Wildlife, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, and any other State 9
agency or entity that as part of its mission requires the use of firearms or other 10
dangerous weapons. 11
(d) As used in this section: 12
(1) “Dangerous or deadly weapon” means a weapon, device, instrument, 13
material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, that is used or readily 14
capable of being used to cause death or serious bodily injury, including an 15
explosive as defined in section 1603 of this title, except that “dangerous or 16
deadly weapon” does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 2.5 17
inches in length. 18
(2) “Firearm” has the same meaning as in subsection 4017(d) of this 19
title. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
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(3) “State building” means a building or part of a building owned or 1
leased by the Department of Buildings and General Services where State 2
employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official 3
duties and includes all owned or leased State buildings, structures, and 4
appurtenances under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Buildings and 5
General Services except as provided in 29 V.S.A. § 152(a)(9) and 29 V.S.A. 6
chapter 5A. 7
Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 8
This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 9