Vermont Governor Signs law Removing Ban on Supressors for Hunting

Map from the American Suppressor Association

On June 1, 2022, S. 281, was signed by Republican Governor Phil Scott of Vermont. An amendment, removing the ban on the use of suppressors for hunting in Vermont, was passed as part of the bill, which regulated the of hunting coyotes with dogs,

The bill passed  the Vermont House on May 4, 2022. The vote was 89 for, 49 against. At that time the bill only contained the regulation of coyote hunting with dogs. The final legislation was a compromise on hunting regulation of coyotes and the use of suppressors for hunting.

The amendment to remove the ban on hunting with suppressors was added on 10 May, 2022. From the American Suppressor Association:

MONTPELIER, VERMONT – Today, Governor Phil Scott (R-VT) signed S. 281 into law, making Vermont the 41st state to allow the use of suppressors while hunting. The ASA-backed pro-suppressor provision of the bill, championed by Representatives Pat Brennan (R-Chittenden-9-2) and George Till (D-Chittenden-3), was amended into the legislation during the floor debate in the House of Representatives on May 10th. It passed the Senate as amended the very next day. The new law, which carries a two-year sunset provision, will take effect on July 1st.

The bill passed the Vermont Senate on a voice vote on 11 May, 2022.

The original bill was an attempt to make hunting coyotes with dogs illegal in Vermont. As part of the compromises made in passing the bill, regulations on hunting coyotes with dogs were required, and the ban on hunting with suppressors was lifted.

The bill will take effect on July 1, 2022. With the reform, Vermont becomes the 41st state to restore the legal ability to hunt with suppressors/silencers.

A sunset clause was included in the bill so that all provisions will expire on July 1, 2024.

The suppressor reform was not mentioned in the Vermont Public Radio paragraph about the bill's passage.

The importance of passing the bill is: There will be two years without a ban on the use of suppressors in hunting in Vermont.

Supporters will be able to show two years without problems. This is what has happened in other states.

Use of suppressors while hunting is common in Europe, Africa, and New Zealand.

Supporters of European style gun regulation fall silent about the widespread use of suppressors in Europe.

The only state which allows widespread ownership of suppressors, but does not allow their use in hunting, is Connecticut.

Eight states continue the irrational ban on the ownership and use of suppressors/silencers/gun mufflers.

They are the usual suspects; states which have infringed on Second Amendment rights for decades: California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, New Jersey,  and Rhode Island.

Of the six states which do not have a state protection for the right to keep and bear arms in their state constitution, four are on this list.

Iowa will almost certainly add an right to keep and bear arms to its constitution in 2022.

The hearing protection act, which would have removed suppressors from the bizarre regulatory and tax regime of the National Firearms Act, was primarily prevented from passing in 2017, by House Speaker Paul Ryan.

Prediction:

As the use of silencers becomes legal, accepted, and common across the nation,  they will be accepted into the states which currently infringe on Second Amendment rights.

©2022 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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