Giffords Commends Vermont for Passing Critical Legislation That Addresses Charleston Loophole

WASHINGTON, DC –Giffords, the gun violence prevention organization led by former Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords, celebrated the passage of comprehensive gun safety legislation in Vermont that expands protections for domestic violence victims and works to close the Charleston Loophole, which allows the purchase of firearms without a background check if the check takes longer than three business days. This much-needed legislation was signed into law on Friday by Republican Governor Phil Scott. 

“This legislation, commonsense and widely popular, will go a long way towards saving lives,” said Sean Holihan, state legislative director at Giffords. “We thank Senator Phil Baruth, Representatives Martin LaLonde, and Will Notte, Judiciary Chairs Maxine Grand and Dick Sears, Speaker Jill Krowinski, and Senate President Becca Balint for having the courage to protect the people of Vermont from gun violence. We are grateful to Governor Scott for fulfilling his long expressed promise of working to close the Charleston Loophole, and demonstrating that preventing gun violence should not be a partisan issue.”

According to Giffords Law Center’s Annual Gun Law Scorecard, Vermont received a C- in 2020 after passing legislation that raised the state’s minimum age laws and established extreme risk protection orders. In recent years, Vermont went from having the 23rd lowest gun death rate to the 10th-lowest. To save lives from gun violence, Vermont needs more robust gun safety legislation.