Senate advances gun background checks; raising age limit on deck

Sen. Phil Baruth, center, speaks at a rally in 2016 calling for universal background checks for gun sales. Photo by Elizabeth Hewitt/VTDigger
The Senate has given preliminary approval to a bill that would require universal background checks for the private sale of firearms in the state, a measure that had stalled before becoming a top priority in the wake of a school shooting in Florida and an alleged attempt in Vermont.
Following about two hours of at times emotional debate Thursday afternoon,