AMGOA Staff
Pennsylvania


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The Vermont Supreme Court on Friday upheld the legality of a 2018 state law that restricts the size of large-capacity ammunition magazines for firearms.

The law, passed by the Legislature and signed by Gov. Phil Scott in response to what police described as a near-miss school shooting in Fair Haven, is a "reasonable regulation of the right of the people to bear arms for self-defense," the court said in its decision.

The court issued the ruling in a case filed by Max Misch, of Bennington, who was charged in 2019 with the misdemeanor counts for allegedly buying two, 30-round rifle magazines in New Hampshire and then bringing them back to Vermont. He was the first person charged in Vermont with violating the law.

The court also used the Misch decision to answer a separate civil challenge to the law filed by the Vermont Federation of Sportsmen's Clubs.

Misch, who asked the trial court to dismiss the criminal case against him, and the federation argued the law restricting magazine size violated the Vermont constitution.

In a statement, Vermont Attorney General T.J. Donovan said he was pleased with the decision and the state could now resume the criminal prosecution of Misch.

https://www.wiltonbulletin.com/news/article/Vermont-Supreme-Court-Limit-on-gun-magazine-size-15963624.php