Why It Matters: On June 6, 2024, Governor’s Sportsmen’s Caucus (GSC) Member, Governor Phil Scott, signed Vermont House Bill 878 (HB 878) into law, removing the two-year sunset provision previously put in place by Vermont Senate Bill 281 (SB 281) – which temporarily legalized the use of suppressors while hunting in Vermont two years ago. After over a decade of efforts spearheaded by the Vermont Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF), and our partners at the American Suppressor Association (ASA), Vermont’s sportsmen and women will now be able to take protect their hearing with suppressors while hunting indefinitely.
Highlights
- With the signing of HB 878 by GSC Member, Governor Phil Scott, Vermont’s sporting community can now utilize suppressor technology without worry of expirations, as HB 878 codifies into law permanent authorizations for their use while hunting.
- Passed in 2022, SB 281 authorized the use of suppressors while hunting, but with a two-year sunset in place.
- The use of suppressors while hunting offers many benefits that include hearing protection, better accuracy given their ability to reduce recoil, the advantage of noise reduction for the hunter, game, and neighbors. With urban sprawl encroaching more and more into huntable lands, so do the complaints from our neighbors of noise that is associated with shooting.
The passage and signing of HB 878 is great cause for celebration for Vermont’s sporting community, and also highlights over a decade of hard work and collaborative efforts from the Vermont Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, CSF, and our partners at ASA. Under the leadership of Vermont Legislative Sportsmen’s Caucus Co-Chair and National Assembly of Sportsmen’s Caucuses Executive Council Member Representative Pat Brennan, we can now celebrate this common sense law protecting Green Mountain sportsmen and women.
“I am very pleased to announce the passing of H-878. This bill includes the removal of the sunset on hunting with suppressors, thus codifying into permanent law,” said Rep. Brennan. “It has been a long but rewarding process (over a decade) and I am honored to have been a part of it. The health and hearing benefits of this bill will be realized in the years to come.”
“CSF was honored to support Rep. Brennan’s steadfast leadership on this issue over the last 12 years alongside our friends at the American Suppressor Association,” said CSF’s Vice President, Policy, Brent Miller. “When we began working on the issue with Rep. Brennan back in 2012, there was a complete ban on ownership and use. This latest, and final authorization marks the 4th pro-suppressor bill Rep. Brennan successful had signed into law, and suppressors are now fully authorized for both hunting and recreational shooting for all Vermont sportsmen and women and those visiting the state.”
CSF thanks Representative Brennan and our partners at the ASA for their tireless efforts over the years. CSF also would like to thank GSC Member Governor Scott, and all those involved who helped make the use of suppressors a permanent tool for the benefit of Vermont’s sporting community and their neighbors.
Tune in to the next episode of The Sportsmen’s Voice podcast, out June 20, 2024, where we sit down with ASA’s President and Executive Director Knox Williams to discuss HB 878 and the many years effort that went into this great victory. We also sit down with CSF Board Member and Silencer Central CEO, Brandon Maddox to further explore the benefits of suppressors and current legislation sitting on the Hill that could greatly enhance conservation funding.
