“None of that matters to me,” Baruth said. “It’s so resoundingly ridiculous to me. When you buy a new gun you have to go through a background check. Then I can sell it on the internet without a background check.”
The bill Baruth is sponsoring — S.6 — would require background checks for all gun transactions, except for those between family and law enforcement.
Baruth and other supporters will hold a press conference touting the bill Tuesday afternoon at the Statehouse. He plans to go full steam ahead in hopes of building support. “My read on the Senate is that it would pass if there were a vote,” he insisted Friday.
Baruth’s persistence aside, its prospects for becoming law this year are slim.
To reach the Senate floor, the bill would have to pass the Senate Judiciary Committee. Chair Dick Sears (D-Bennington) noted that an earlier attempt at background check legislation failed by a 3-2 vote in the committee, with Sears among those opposed. The makeup of the panel remains unchanged this session.
“It’d be hard to come up with a change of vote,” he said.
Its prospects appear no stronger in the House.
“Right now, it’s not necessarily a high priority item,” said House Speaker Mitzi Johnson (D-South Hero).
Evan Hughes, vice president of the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs, promised “strenuous” opposition to the effort. “It’s unnecessary,” he said, noting that Vermont has the lowest rate of violent crime in the country.
Baruth is nonetheless trying to build a movement. Unlike four years ago, when he stood alone — and quickly withdrew — a proposed ban on assault-style weapons, he has six cosponsors in the Senate for the background check bill. He said House supporters will join them Tuesday at the press conference.
Baruth pointed to a rally held last summer on the Statehouse steps as an indication of growing support. All three Democratic gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates were on board, he said.
“It’s orthodoxy for my party at this point,” he said.
But new Republican Gov. Phil Scott has singled out gun legislation as something he would definitely veto.
And Johnson said her members are not exactly beating a path to the speaker’s office demanding background check legislation. Knowing Scott’s opposition, she said she would need to see a groundswell in the House to make pursuing the issue worthwhile.
“The things we know will be a stretch for him are things we need to have strong support for here,” she said.
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What a joke. Maybe Baruth should spend some time tackling an actual problem? Maybe write or sponsor an economic development bill for once in his life? I know our Senators typically don’t do anything useful in this state, but it’s a thought….
” he has six cosponsors in the Senate for the background check bill”
5 of those Senators are from the 6 pack which they have nothing to fear and one of those Senator’s “former” lobbying firm is representing Gun Sense, no conflict there.
“Baruth pointed to a rally held last summer on the Statehouse steps as an indication of growing support. All three Democratic gubernatorial and lieutenant gubernatorial candidates were on board, he said.”
And out of those 6, only one, Dave, made it and Sue lost by 9 pts!
Vermont doesn’t need UBC Phil.
Nothing to brag about Phil.
Stop wasting the time of our legislature and work on the ACTUAL issues facing Vermonters.
High taxes, huge deficit, working people leaving the state, and this moonbat is trying to create a problem from a non problem..
Another feel good, unenforceable law; much like the hands free law. Why don’t you clowns try to actually make a difference instead of all this unenforceable crap? There are real problems in this state which need to be addressed, starting with taxes and economic opportunity.
We are failing financially in the state of Vermont and our Healthcare is a disaster
We are destroying our ridgelines and our wildlife habitat
We live in the safest state in the nation as far as guns go and this is the best that this Joker can pull out of the Hat
People who love Vermont better fight to keep this ridiculous bill from passing and start to vote in representation that really cares about the state of Vermont and the problems here
How about we focus on the real issues we have in Vermont? Gun control is not one of them. Let’s focus on lowering taxes so we don’t drive out the remaining Vermonters. Make VT a business friendly state so we can retain our recent graduates.
Maybe he couldn’t put his hand over his heart at the presentation of the colors during the inauguration because he was afraid it would make a target for some lunatic. Most of the shootings in VT are by his fellow New Yorkers who are here selling drugs.
i obey the laws, went to war for this country, leave me and my guns alone , go after the justice system and there lack of proper justice and take the criminals off the streets for good , bring good jobs back so americans are not stressed out and bring good values and discipline back to america , all the gun laws in the world wont fix what we see now , these ways that people live by today do not work , it is not rocket science.
It’s willful ignorance to pretend that Vermont’s loose gun laws do not contribute to the nation’s gun violence epidemic. Contrary to the “safe” image Vermont has, there are still more gun deaths in this state than occur in entire countries elsewhere in the world.
The simple fact is that this country’s rate of gun violence is a national embarrassment. Vermont is 1/50th of this country therefore bears responsibility. Phil Baruth is taking the uncomfortable yet necessary approach amid a sea of apologists who conveniently overlook the first four words of the Second Amendment: “A well regulated Militia.”
The FBI rates Vermont as the safest state in the nation.
There are actual problems out there that need attention and this attack on our rights is what they come up with?
Pathetic.
BARUTH IS A MORON.
From his political safe space in Chittenden County, again Professor Baruth sets forth to harass gun owners and take us away from our homes and families to defend our rights against his attacks.
Philip Baruth, you are a bully and a coward.
One of the most effective “gun control” laws has been the automatic addition of at least 5 years incarceration to any sentence for criminals convicted of possessing a firearm in furtherance of commission of a related crime, e.g., carrying a firearm while selling or transporting illegal drugs. Here’s where liberal hypocrisy shines: 53 of the 127 “non-violent” felons whose federal sentences were pardoned or commuted by President Obama two weeks ago were carrying loaded firearms while dealing drugs. But Obama and Baruth want to impose more restrictions on law-abiding legal gun owners while failing to strictly enforce the laws we already have in place to control firearm felons. Pathetic.
Former Senator John Campbell knew better than to run again after his gun control nonsense last session. Next election, Chittenden county residents need to send Baruth the message. He has outlived his usefulness, and needs to be retired. Perhaps gardening would better suit him.
Vermonters have been quite clear on this every session. NO. It’s really that simple.
Baruth can not see the Vermont where most residents reside. He has no understanding of firearms use in the other 13 counties of Vermont. Being clueless and not looking to understand gun use in rural areas is unacceptable in a small state. Baruth represents the worst kind of immigrant to this state.
There are so many issues that are important to Vermonters, like jobs and taxes. Vermont needs to work on being affordable for people to live in it. Young people are leaving because there is a real shortage of good paying jobs, That should be their priority in Montpelier. Vermont is listed as the worst state for retirees also.
Maybe we could introduce a Bill that addresses the introduction of frivolous Bills!
Where if a senator introduces a bill so ridiculous, unfounded, and with such little public support… said senator is required to personally pay for all costs associated with that bill to include all of the peoples time he wasted throughout the process that could have been used in a more productive manner! Introduction of Bills should not be a game of darts where a bunch of garbage is introduced and we just see what sticks. Do your homework and bring bills to fix real problems!
Sponsor(s):
Sen. Philip Baruth
Sen. Michael Sirotkin
Additional Sponsors:
Sen. Debbie Ingram
Sen. Virginia “Ginny” Lyons
Sen. Dick McCormack
Sen. Christopher A. Pearson
Please make a note of the individuals listed above. They are formally listed on S.6. They are the people you supposedly hired to get some actual work done in this state but have, instead, decided to push a personal gun control agenda that no one in this state needs or wants. They wasted no time at all, making this the FIRST THING on their plate. These people actually believe this is somehow more important than any other problem this state has! This alone proves what their mindset is like. They only represent their personal view…not yours.
Once again, this state is going to have to waste valuable time, effort and money dealing with another stupid gun owner control push like this. This has already been settled.
Oh, and by the way: in addition to our country’s 2nd Amendment, Vermont has Article 16 of the Vermont Constitution. Please read it; it’s as clear as it gets. It spells out the rights you already have. S.6 is designed to start undermining your rights.
http://legislature.vermont.gov/statutes/co…
It really does speak to the disconnect of the sponsors of this bill that they would insist on working against the majority intent of the constituency and grandstand on this issue in Vermont.
This is a waste of a time and resources for this legislative session. I don’t feel it’s even necessary to get in to the “is it needed” conversation…Even if you support this type of bill you must be able to see that it will not pass. What other bills are going to be sidelined because of the committee and floor time that will be spent on this failure?
With the amount of heroine flooding the state and all the addicts that are now in the state you would have to be crazy not to have a gun to protect your family and home. How about fixing that problem before you waste time trying to take law abiding citizens rights away. Public officials should have the constitution be required reading.
It is hard to believe that these Liberals & Progressives dare to introduce this nuisance legislation so early in the legislative term. How about introducing term limits for Liberal Senators from Chittenden County, instead?
This bill is written an out-of-state California organization that knows NOTHING about Vermont. All they care about is gun control. See how bad California’s violent crime rate is to know how much damage they have done to their own state with gun control.
This bill will make it IMPOSSIBLE for people to get training.
More women than ever are purchasing firearms and are seeking training, the people sponsoring this people are CLEARLY sexists and misogynists and should be rightly outed as being sexist pigs.
Why does Vermont, one of the safest states with no oppressive gun laws need this? Baruth is a moron and needs to be voted out along with the other anti-gun politicians in Montpelier ! As a lifelong Vermonter and a gun owner it really irks me when people move to Vermont and immediately try to change our way of life to become like the place they came here from. Maybe Vermont needs to build a wall to keep out undesirables ! How about taking care of real problems and stop inventing ones that are totally bogus !!!
Gun laws,only take guns out of the hands of law abiding citizens. By definition criminals don’t obey laws so the senators bill would do nothing to stop criminals from having guns. Just look at Chicago if you need proof of this.
Vermont is the safest state in the nation regarding gun violence but we have people who think we need to be protected from ourselves, or want to jump on a problem elsewhere because it surely will be a problem here. The problem was the people that move to VT and then want to legislate our safety.
There are a lot more important issues to work on in the legislature
What a waste of time, effort, & tax payers money… Vermont is one of (if not) the safest state in the nation!! No need for adding senseless laws; when the ones we (when properly enforced) are working just fine… Now get back to focusing on job stimulation; economy issues; & keeping a balanced budget!!
Guns don’t kill people. Chuck Norris kills people.
Someone needs to run against him. He is part of the swamp that causes economic drain in Vermont. Curious if he can be removed for oath violations?
It seems the people are speaking quite clearly. Are you hearing them Mr. Baruth?
Well lets see, Burlington was a good city until they voted the lying socialist sanders in..Burlington is full of liberal out of stater’s who think they are the greatest liberals and moved here to get back to basics..yeah right, that’s why Burlington is the way it is now..Montpelier is FULL of liberals both in the city and most of the Legislators in Montpelier are liberal out of staters..Baruth is from NY, just like socialist Sanders..So many Vermonters are getting sick and tired of these idiot liberals..We need to TAKE BACK VERMONT!!!!
As for the one that said ” there are still more gun deaths in this state than occur in entire countries elsewhere in the world.” ARE YOU NUTS??” .. think this person needs to open it’s eyes and walk away from the kool aid..Have you ever heard of Chicago? the gun free city that had 66 deaths the first week of Jan..2017.. for 2016 there was 3,100 deaths by guns..so much for their gun free zone and gun controls..
LEAVE MY GUNS AND RIGHTS ALONE….
Baruth is the personification of Montpelier – net zero. All the problems that we face and he still can’t find anything better to do. If there ever was a zero, he’s it.