| Bernard -- We are overdue in giving you updates on Fish & Wildlife issues (S.258); 2nd Amendment 2/A issues (S.209) as well as our lawsuit. Fish & Wildlife – S.258
S.258, an act relating to the management of Fish & Wildlife, passed out of the Senate and is now in the House Environment and Energy Committee. We adamantly oppose S.258 and ask that you Take Action to oppose it as well. It is a bill that changes the authority of the Fish & Wildlife Board; it changes the composition of that Board; it bans baiting coyotes; it repeals the ability to hunt coyote with the aid of dogs among other needless changes. In passing the bill out of the Senate Natural Resources and Energy Committee, no public testimony was taken. Senate leadership knew however that that version did not have the votes to pass out of the Senate, so at the 11th hour an amended version was conjured up over the weekend. That version was then dumped on the committee, it was unanimously passed by the committee in less than ½ hour (even though it was drastically different than what the committee had previously agreed to), again without public testimony. Governor Scott has spoken to previous versions of S.258, and he clearly stated that he was not supportive of this bill. That updated version, however, changed enough to allow a few Senators who didn't like the previous version of the bill to hold their noses and then vote to pass it on. The fact is that neither the F&W Board nor the F&W Department asked for or wants these changes. A truth is that ALL of Vermont's Game Species are abundant and flourishing, a fact that PROVES that the current arrangement of the F&W Board and F&W Department is not only just working, it is working exceptionally well to the benefit of ALL Vermonters. Please Take Action to notify the House Environment & Energy Committee, your Representatives and Senators that S.258 is not needed; it is a waste of valuable Legislative time and resources; and it can only cause friction between the F&W Department and "new" F&W Board. You will note that we are not providing any pre-written Message body – this is because a few legislators consider identical messages "Form Letters," and do not put much weight on them even though they all come from different people. What you write does not have to be lengthy. Please be polite but firm: No to S.258; it is unneeded. Click here to Take Action on S.258. 2nd Amendment / Article 16 – S.209
S.209, which is a bill that attempts to regulate unserialized firearms (aka "Ghost Guns") has passed out of the Senate and is now in House Judiciary where testimony is being taken with amendments being considered. The first thing to know about this bill is that is perfectly legal by Federal law and BATFE rules for a citizen to build their own firearm; the BATFE calls these Privately Made Firearms (PMFs). The second thing to know is that by Federal law and BATFE rules: PMFs Do Not Require Serial Numbers. On the face of it: What the Legislature wants to do is to force any citizen who has built an un-serialized firearm, or who has an un-serialized frame or receiver, or who has an object that can be "readily" made into a un-serialized firearm frame or receiver, to get a serial number applied. The bigger picture is that they want more background checks for firearms that can be legally owned even when they are homemade. S.209 will not stop any criminal activity with un-serialized firearms, not when criminals and prohibited persons can simply go out and buy a 3D Printer and print 100% usable frames and receivers. The crafters of this bill do not know, or apparently care, how many FFLs or gunsmiths will do this work, so they have no idea how far someone may have to travel to get this work done, and they have no idea of cost. It is only seen as an "inconvenience." An amendment to this bill also addresses a proposed prohibition on having weapons at "Polling Places". While we do not especially like this as it creates yet another "Gun Free Zone", the Supreme Court in the Bruen decision DID indicate that "polling places" were sensitive places where firearms might be banned, and certain Legislators jumped on this. "Ghost Gun" laws that are similar to what is being proposed here are being challenged in other states, along with the BATFE's authority to make rules that Congress should make. We'll keep you informed on this bill. Mag Ban and Waiting Period Lawsuit
We are currently schedule to be in District Court of Vermont on May 23rd to participate in a Hearing on our request(s) for a Temporary Restraining Order/Preliminary Injunction on the enforcement of the Vermont Magazine Ban and 72-Hour Waiting Period. At this time we are confident in our legal team and the arguments they have made and will make, and we have an amicus brief being provided by the National Foundation for Gun Rights (NFGR), who also made a contribution to our fight. The Hearing *IS* open to the public and we will keep you informed. Raffles & Fund Raising
We are currently running two raffles to help raise money for our lawsuit and our operating costs: - 30 day/ 32 guns/$40 Raffle
Only 1,000 tickets were printed for this raffle, numbered from 000 to 999. Each night in June, the Vermont Lottery does it's nightly Pick 3, with the Vermont Nightly Pick 3 number drawn each night in June dictating that day's winner. We have spent over $20,000 purchasing the firearm prizes; you can find more information here. - Century Arms 2 Gun Raffle - $20
This raffle consists of two firearms, both made by Century Arms right here in Vermont. The first is a BFT-47, which is a variant of an AK-47 with beautiful wood. The second is a CANIK METE MC9, which is a compact 9mm carry pistol complete with holster and extra mags. You can find more info here; only 500 tickets were printed. It the Federation's duty to represent our clubs and members in regards to F&W and 2A issues, and it is our honor to do so. If you like what we do, please consider supporting us. Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs
https://www.vtfsc.com/ | 
