The Senate Judiciary Committee is paring back a House bill that would allow police to remove firearms from the scene of domestic violence incidents.
Last month the House narrowly approved H.422, which would allow police to seize firearms from homes when someone is cited or arrested on suspicion of domestic violence. Law enforcement could hold the weapons for up to five days.
Proponents of the bill argue that the policy would get firearms out of homes at a time that is particularly dangerous for victims of domestic violence. Opponents argue it violates constitutional rights and potentially would reduce victims’ ability to protect themselves.
Sen. Dick Sears, D-Bennington, chair of the Judiciary Committee, said the panel does not plan to advance the House proposal.
“We believe that the House bill may in fact be unconstitutional,” he said.
Instead, the committee is inserting language into another bill to explicitly give judges the ability to make it a condition of bail that defendants not possess firearms, according to Sears.
“They can do that now, no question about it, but there’s nothing specific in statute that allows them to set that condition,” he said.
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