Sec'y of State Jim Condos Announces VT State Archives Spotlight on the 1968 Gun Legislation Debate

Montpelier, VT - Secretary of State Jim Condos announced today that the Vermont State Archives and Records Administration has made available online records documenting this contentious debate in 1968.

After the assassinations of Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, Vermont and the nation turned its attention to the issue of gun legislation in the summer of 1968.

"In the wake of the recent shootings in Newtown, we are reminded that - unfortunately - we have been here before," Condos said. "Forty-five years ago, national tragedies forced Vermont and America to examine guns in society. Forty-five years later we continue to grapple with this issue. On both sides, the arguments made then are some of the same arguments made now."

In September 1968, Assistant Attorney General Louis Peck - who later became a member of the Vermont Supreme Court in 1981 - outlined that some form of regulation was constitutional, concluding that a Vermonter "has no constitutional right to possess a weapon for the defense of his house, car, horse, or cow, or in fact for hunting purposes other than during the hunting season... The people may only possess weapons for protection of themselves and the state." In contrast, Fish and Game Commissioner Edward Kehoe argued that Vermonters "were born with guns, we have the best safety record in the world as far as handling guns. I think we have a lot going for us here, so, I think before we give real restrictions... we ought to take a long look at this before we do anything."

The online presentation includes the interim report of the special legislative committee convened to study gun control regulations. Testimony from many of the committee's witnesses also is available, including testimony provided by then-Chittenden County State's Attorney Patrick Leahy.

The Spotlight on Records about the 1968 gun legislation debate can be found online at
http://vermont-archives.org/research/spotlight/records.htm.

VSARA, a division of the Office of the Secretary of State, advises and guides public agencies in records and information management; appraises and schedules public records; preserves and enhances access to the archival records of state government; and operates the state records center.

Jim Condos is Vermont's Secretary of State.