FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
February 17, 2023
CONTACT:
Ashley Moore, Chief of Staff to President Pro Tempore
amoore@leg.state.vt.us
VERMONT SENATE PASSES S.3, A BILL TO PROHIBIT PARAMILITARY TRAINING CAMPS
Montpelier, VT - Today the Vermont Senate gave final approval to S.3, a bill that would prohibit paramilitary training camps. The bill passed second reading on a vote of 29-1 yesterday. The passage of this bill follows a rise in concern across Vermont and the country about the increase in extremist paramilitary organizations and the lack of adequate prevention, intervention and enforcement authority in Vermont.
President Pro Tempore Phil Baruth and Senator Sears, Chair of the Senate Committee on Judiciary, spoke about the importance of this measure.
“There haven’t been adequate levers for the state to intervene or prevent such a camp from forming,” said President Pro Tem Baruth. “This bill gives the state the authority it needs to protect Vermonters from fringe actors looking to create civil disorder.”
“The testimony we’ve heard over the past several weeks demonstrated that Vermont has a bigger problem than we even realized,” said Senator Sears. “S.3 will give the state of Vermont the authority it needs to intervene.”
In addition to making it a crime to operate a paramilitary training camp, the legislation would allow state prosecutors to seek an injunction to close such a facility. The bill exempts facilities that offer training in self-defense, hunter safety, firearms safety, target shooting and training by law enforcement, the National Guard, and municipal fire departments.
The bill will now move to the House for further consideration.
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You can learn more about S.3, an act relating to prohibiting paramilitary training camps, on the legislative website.