The Vermont Senate [official website] on Friday voted 17-13 to approve [text] legislation [text, PDF] that will place restrictions on access to guns and gun-altering devices.

Some of the measures include raising the purchase age for guns to 21 and bans magazines of more than 10 rounds for long guns and 15 rounds for pistols; ban on bump stocks; and expansion of mandatory background checks on buyers.

The bill had previously been approved [JURIST report] in the House.

Governor Phil Scott [official profile] announced [press release] his intent to sign the guns reforms following the tragedies that have taken place in schools across the country. In a recent press release he stated

Vermont is currently one of the healthiest and safest states in America. However, as tragedies in Florida, Las Vegas, Newtown and elsewhere—as well as the averted plot to shoot up Fair Haven High School—have demonstrated, no state is immune to the risk of extreme violence. As Governor, I have a moral and legal obligation and responsibility to provide for the safety of our citizens. If we are at a point when our kids are afraid to go to school and parents are afraid to put their kids on a bus, who are we? I support S.55, S.221 and H.422 because I believe these bills uphold these rights, while taking reasonable steps to reduce the risk of violence.

Several states have recently introduced new gun legislation in the wake of the recent shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Florida and subsequent protests, including Florida, Illinois and Oregon [JURIST reports]. Opponents to such bills continue to argue infringement on their Second Amendment [text] rights and that they would not ensure students’ safety.