Vermont 2025-2026 Regular Session

Vermont Senate Bill S0141 Compare Versions

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

Old	New	Differences
1	1	BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
2	2	2025 Page 1 of 4
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5	5	VT LEG #381999 v.1
6	6	S.141 1
7	7	Introduced by Senators White and Clarkson 2
8	8	Referred to Committee on 3
9	9	Date: 4
10	10	Subject: Firearms and dangerous weapons; State buildings; possession 5
11	11	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. 8
14	14	An act relating to prohibiting possession of firearms and dangerous 9
15	15	weapons in State 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 AND DANGEROUS WEAPONS IN 13
19	19	STATE BUILDINGS PROHIBITED 14
20	20	(a) A person shall not knowingly possess a firearm or dangerous weapon in 15
21	21	a State building. 16
22	22	(b)(1) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section shall be 17
23	23	imprisoned for not more than one year or fined not more than $2,000.00, or 18
24	24	both. 19 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
25	25	2025 Page 2 of 4
26	26
27	27
28	28	VT LEG #381999 v.1
29	29	(2) A person who violates subsection (a) of this section with the intent to 1
30	30	use the firearm or dangerous weapon to commit a crime shall be imprisoned 2
31	31	for not more than five years or fined not more than $10,000.00, or both. 3
32	32	(c) This section shall not apply to: 4
33	33	(1) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried for legitimate law 5
34	34	enforcement purposes by a federal law enforcement officer or a law 6
35	35	enforcement officer certified as a law enforcement officer by the Vermont 7
36	36	Criminal Justice Council pursuant to 20 V.S.A. § 2358; 8
37	37	(2) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by a person while preforming 9
38	38	the person’s official duties as an employee of the United States; a department 10
39	39	or agency of the United States; a state; or a department, agency, or political 11
40	40	subdivision of a state if the person is authorized to carry a firearm or dangerous 12
41	41	weapon as part of the person’s official duties; 13
42	42	(3) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by a member of the Vermont 14
43	43	National Guard, of the National Guard of another state, or of the U.S. Armed 15
44	44	Forces who is on duty and acting under state or federal orders; 16
45	45	(4) buildings or portions of buildings that are: 17
46	46	(A) owned or leased by the Department of Buildings and General 18
47	47	Services; and 19
48	48	(B) leased or subleased by the Department of Buildings and General 20
49	49	Services to private tenants for their exclusive use; 21 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
50	50	2025 Page 3 of 4
51	51
52	52
53	53	VT LEG #381999 v.1
54	54	(5) the lawful carrying of a firearm or dangerous weapon into a State 1
55	55	building for a purpose authorized in advance by the Department of Buildings 2
56	56	and General Services or by the tenant agency occupying or using the building; 3
57	57	or 4
58	58	(6) a firearm or dangerous weapon carried by an instructor, educator, or 5
59	59	participant in an educational or training class conducted by an agency or entity 6
60	60	of State government while engaging in the educational or training class or 7
61	61	activity, including the Agency of Natural Resources, the Department of Fish 8
62	62	and Wildlife, the Vermont Criminal Justice Council, and any other State 9
63	63	agency or entity that as part of its mission requires the use of firearms or other 10
64	64	dangerous weapons. 11
65	65	(d) As used in this section: 12
66	66	(1) “Dangerous or deadly weapon” means a weapon, device, instrument, 13
67	67	material, or substance, whether animate or inanimate, that is used or readily 14
68	68	capable of being used to cause death or serious bodily injury, including an 15
69	69	explosive as defined in section 1603 of this title, except that “dangerous or 16
70	70	deadly weapon” does not include a pocket knife with a blade of less than 2.5 17
71	71	inches in length. 18
72	72	(2) “Firearm” has the same meaning as in subsection 4017(d) of this 19
73	73	title. 20 BILL AS INTRODUCED S.141
74	74	2025 Page 4 of 4
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77	77	VT LEG #381999 v.1
78	78	(3) “State building” means a building or part of a building owned or 1
79	79	leased by the Department of Buildings and General Services where State 2
80	80	employees are regularly present for the purpose of performing their official 3
81	81	duties and includes all owned or leased State buildings, structures, and 4
82	82	appurtenances under the jurisdiction of the Commissioner of Buildings and 5
83	83	General Services except as provided in 29 V.S.A. § 152(a)(9) and 29 V.S.A. 6
84	84	chapter 5A. 7
85	85	Sec. 2. EFFECTIVE DATE 8
86	86	This act shall take effect on July 1, 2026. 9