Dear Governor Scott,

On behalf of the citizens of the great State of Vermont, we are asking you to please include Federal Firearm License dealers in the list of businesses considered essential during the Covid-19 crisis as other States have done.

As I’m sure you are aware, many residents have chosen to purchase a firearm for protection during this time of uncertainty and Article 16 of the Vermont Constitution guarantees them that right.

Many of these transfers have been put on hold due to the NICS system being overwhelmed by the volume of background checks in recent weeks. Closing FFLs essentially strips these people of their natural right to protect their family under Article 16 and the Second Amendment.

Additionally, Vermont’s restrictive law prohibiting the transfer of standard capacity magazines has made it difficult for FFLs to maintain inventory as suppliers must now ship firearms with Vermont compliant magazines which are harder to get.

We ask that for the duration of this crisis, the governor suspend the ban on standard capacity magazines as well as the ban on private transfers of firearms so that Vermonters might be able to obtain the means to protect their families as guaranteed by our constitutions.

Thank you for your consideration.

In Liberty,

Eric Davis

President, Gun Owners of Vermont