Office of Lt. Governor David Zuckerman
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 28th, 2023
Contact
Lisa Gerlach
Chief of Staff, Office of the Lt. Governor
(802) 636-7047
Lisa.gerlach@vermont.gov
NEWS: Lt. Governor Zuckerman Releases Statement on H.230
MONTPELIER, Vt: On Friday, Vermont Lt. Governor David Zuckerman released the following statement after the passage of H.230 on second reading in the Senate:
“I, along with many other policy makers and legal professionals, will sadly always remember a legal colleague who took her life with a firearm that was spontaneously purchased for the purpose of taking her life. I do not wish this memory on anyone. I am glad that we are finally taking steps to prevent tragedies like this that occur too often in our state.
“I have argued for gun safety policy changes for well over a decade. I have met with and discussed these issues with hundreds of hunters to work to find the balance between creating safety provisions and preserving traditions. I also recently authorized a father and son who respectfully asked to participate in youth hunting weekend on our own land.
“It is an honor to preside over the senate as it passed H.230, an act relating to implementing mechanisms to reduce suicide. 89% of firearm deaths in Vermont in 2021 were by suicide. Children are 4.4 times more likely to die by suicide in a home with a firearm. The provisions in this bill greatly reduce the risk of suicide without creating impediments to Vermont’s hunting traditions, bolstering safety while preserving rights.”
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