The process of ending HB 1589 began with the vote to amend the bill and turn it into a committee to… study the correlation between current New Hampshire law and the low violent crime rate in this state.
Democrats cry, and whine, and demand, and spout their talking points about guns and background checks, misrepresenting facts at every turn, but the biggest barrier is their inability or unwillingness to explain why states with the strictest gun laws have more crime while states like New Hampshire and Vermont (with very loose or open gun laws) consistently have the lowest violent crime rates in the nation.
Turns out, most NH Democrats still don’t want to look at that. They were happy to kill it altogether rather than subject themselves to the reality. New Hampshire’s low crime rate has a lot to do with its strong defense of second amendment rights.
Here’s the Bill docket.
| 2/10/2014 | H | Minority Committee Report: Inexpedient to Legislate |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Lay on Table (Rep. Baldasaro) MF Div 163-165 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Adopt Amendment #0371h (New Title) AA RC 174-166 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Floor Amendment #2014-0467h (New Title) (Rep. Hoell) AA RC 177-175 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Lay on Table (Rep. Butler) MF Div 173-183 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Indefinitely Postpone (Rep. Lambert) MF Div 133-226 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Ought to Pass with Amendment #0467h MF Div 165-195 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Inexpedient to Legislate (Rep. Chandler) MA Div 242-118 |
| 2/12/2014 | H | Reconsider (Rep. Chandler) MF Div 113-244 |
Amendment #2014-0467h
AN ACT establishing a committee to study the correlation between current New Hampshire law and the low violent crime rate in this state.
Amend the bill by replacing all after the enacting clause with the following:
1 Committee Established. There is established a committee to study the correlation between current New Hampshire law and the low violent crime rate in this state.
2 Membership and Compensation.
I. The members of the committee shall be as follows:
(a) Six members of the house of representatives, 3 of whom shall be from the majority party, appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, and 3 of whom shall be from the minority party, appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives.
(b) One member of the senate, appointed by the president of the senate.
II. Members of the committee shall receive mileage at the legislative rate when attending to the duties of the committee.
3 Duties. The committee shall:
I. Study the correlation between current New Hampshire law and the low violent crime rate in this state.
II. Study whether stricter gun control laws are effective at reducing the violent crime rate in this state.
III. Review and study national and state publications related to the correlation between stricter gun control measures and the violent crime rate in this state, including data and reports published by the Federal Bureau of Investigation relating to the correlation between stricter gun control legislation and the violent crime rate in this state. The committee shall also review publications by law enforcement departments, including the Police One survey on the potential effects of proposed gun laws on reducing violent crime.
IV. Investigate the gun control measures in Connecticut and Massachusetts to understand the correlation between stricter regulatory controls and higher crime rates.
V. Study the effectiveness of our current criminal justice system in prosecuting violent criminals.
4 Chairperson; Quorum. The members of the study committee shall elect a chairperson from among the members. The first meeting of the committee shall be called by the first-named house member. The first meeting of the committee shall be held within 45 days of the effective date of this section. Four members of the committee shall constitute a quorum.
5 Report. The committee shall report its findings and any recommendations for proposed legislation to the speaker of the house of representatives, the president of the senate, the house clerk, the senate clerk, the governor, and the state library on or before November 1, 2014.
6 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
Votes against the motion to amend it to a study committee.
| House Rep | Party | County | District | Vote |
| Alicea, Caroletta | Democrat | Merrimack | 8 | Nay |
| Almy, Susan | Democrat | Grafton | 13 | Nay |
| Ames, Richard | Democrat | Cheshire | 9 | Nay |
| Andrews, Christopher | Democrat | Merrimack | 23 | Nay |
| Andrews-Ahearn, E. Elaine | Democrat | Rockingham | 37 | Nay |
| Arsenault, Beth | Democrat | Belknap | 9 | Nay |
| Baber, William | Democrat | Strafford | 14 | Nay |
| Backus, Robert | Democrat | Hillsborough | 19 | Nay |
| Bartlett, Christy | Democrat | Merrimack | 19 | Nay |
| Benn, Bernard | Democrat | Grafton | 12 | Nay |
| Berch, Paul | Democrat | Cheshire | 1 | Nay |
| Bixby, Peter | Democrat | Strafford | 17 | Nay |
| Boisvert, Ronald | Democrat | Hillsborough | 45 | Nay |
| Borden, David | Democrat | Rockingham | 24 | Nay |
| Bouchard, Candace | Democrat | Merrimack | 18 | Nay |
| Briden, Steven | Democrat | Rockingham | 18 | Nay |
| Brown, Pamela | Democrat | Hillsborough | 31 | Nay |
| Burdwood, Greg | Democrat | Strafford | 17 | Nay |
| Burke, Rachel | Democrat | Strafford | 2 | Nay |
| Burns, Scott | Democrat | Merrimack | 2 | Nay |
| Butler, Edward | Democrat | Carroll | 7 | Nay |
| Butynski, William | Democrat | Cheshire | 1 | Nay |
| Cahill, Michael | Democrat | Rockingham | 17 | Nay |
| Cali-Pitts, Jacqueline | Democrat | Rockingham | 30 | Nay |
| Campbell, David | Democrat | Hillsborough | 33 | Nay |
| Carey, Lorrie | Democrat | Merrimack | 26 | Nay |
| Carroll, Douglas | Democrat | Hillsborough | 34 | Nay |
| Carson, Clyde | Democrat | Merrimack | 7 | Nay |
| Chase, Cynthia | Democrat | Cheshire | 8 | Nay |
| Cloutier, John | Democrat | Sullivan | 10 | Nay |
| Connor, Evelyn | Democrat | Hillsborough | 2 | Nay |
| Cooney, Mary | Democrat | Grafton | 8 | Nay |
| Cote, David | Democrat | Hillsborough | 31 | Nay |
| Cushing, Robert | Democrat | Rockingham | 21 | Nay |
| Davis, Frank | Democrat | Merrimack | 20 | Nay |
| DiMartino, Lisa | Democrat | Belknap | 2 | Nay |
| DiSilvestro, Linda | Democrat | Hillsborough | 9 | Nay |
| Eaton, Richard | Democrat | Hillsborough | 38 | Nay |
| Ebel, Karen | Democrat | Merrimack | 5 | Nay |
| Emerson-Brown, Rebecca | Democrat | Rockingham | 27 | Nay |
| Fields, Dennis | Republican | Belknap | 4 | Nay |
| Flockhart, Eileen | Democrat | Rockingham | 18 | Nay |
| Ford, Susan | Democrat | Grafton | 3 | Nay |
| Frambach, Mary | Democrat | Merrimack | 21 | Nay |
| Frazer, June | Democrat | Merrimack | 13 | Nay |
| French, Barbara | Democrat | Merrimack | 6 | Nay |
| Friedrich, Carol | Democrat | Grafton | 16 | Nay |
| Gage, Ruth | Democrat | Hillsborough | 6 | Nay |
| Gagnon, Raymond | Democrat | Sullivan | 5 | Nay |
| Gale, Sylvia | Democrat | Hillsborough | 28 | Nay |
| Gardner, Janice | Democrat | Strafford | 15 | Nay |
| Gile, Mary | Democrat | Merrimack | 27 | Nay |
| Gorman, Mary | Democrat | Hillsborough | 31 | Nay |
| Gottling, Suzanne | Democrat | Sullivan | 2 | Nay |
| Grady, Brenda | Democrat | Hillsborough | 21 | Nay |
| Grassie, Anne | Democrat | Strafford | 11 | Nay |
| Grossman, Kenneth | Democrat | Strafford | 4 | Nay |
| Hackel, Paul | Democrat | Hillsborough | 29 | Nay |
| Hammon, Marcia | Democrat | Coos | 5 | Nay |
| Hammond, Jill | Democrat | Hillsborough | 24 | Nay |
| Hansberry, Daniel | Democrat | Hillsborough | 35 | Nay |
| Harding, Laurie | Democrat | Grafton | 13 | Nay |
| Harriott-Gathright, Linda | Democrat | Hillsborough | 36 | Nay |
| Hatch, William | Democrat | Coos | 6 | Nay |
| Heath, Mary | Democrat | Hillsborough | 14 | Nay |
| Heden, Ruth | Democrat | Hillsborough | 23 | Nay |
| Heffron, Frank | Democrat | Rockingham | 18 | Nay |
| Henle, Paul | Democrat | Merrimack | 12 | Nay |
| Higgins, Patricia | Democrat | Grafton | 12 | Nay |
| Hirsch, Geoffrey | Democrat | Merrimack | 6 | Nay |
| Hooper, Dorothea | Democrat | Strafford | 16 | Nay |
| Horrigan, Timothy | Democrat | Strafford | 6 | Nay |
| Hubbard, Pamela | Democrat | Strafford | 12 | Nay |
| Hunt, Jane | Democrat | Merrimack | 15 | Nay |
| Huot, David | Democrat | Belknap | 3 | Nay |
| Irwin, Virginia | Democrat | Sullivan | 6 | Nay |
| Jack, Martin | Democrat | Hillsborough | 36 | Nay |
| Jeudy, Jean | Democrat | Hillsborough | 10 | Nay |
| Johnsen, Gladys | Democrat | Cheshire | 7 | Nay |
| Kaen, Naida | Democrat | Strafford | 5 | Nay |
| Karrick, David | Democrat | Merrimack | 25 | Nay |
| Kelley, John | Democrat | Hillsborough | 32 | Nay |
| Kelly, Sally | Democrat | Merrimack | 20 | Nay |
| Knowles, Mary Ann | Democrat | Hillsborough | 37 | Nay |
| Kopka, Angeline | Democrat | Hillsborough | 28 | Nay |
| Lavender, Tom | Democrat | Carroll | 5 | Nay |
| Leishman, Peter | Democrat | Hillsborough | 24 | Nay |
| Levesque, Melanie | Democrat | Hillsborough | 26 | Nay |
| Ley, Douglas | Democrat | Cheshire | 9 | Nay |
| Long, Patrick | Democrat | Hillsborough | 42 | Nay |
| Lovejoy, Patricia | Democrat | Rockingham | 36 | Nay |
| Lovett, Sid | Democrat | Grafton | 8 | Nay |
| MacKay, James | Democrat | Merrimack | 14 | Nay |
| MacKay, Mariellen | Democrat | Hillsborough | 30 | Nay |
| Malloy, Dennis | Democrat | Strafford | 4 | Nay |
| Mangipudi, Latha | Democrat | Hillsborough | 35 | Nay |
| Manley, Jonathan | Democrat | Hillsborough | 3 | Nay |
| Mann, John | Democrat | Cheshire | 2 | Nay |
| Mann, Maureen | Democrat | Rockingham | 32 | Nay |
| McCloskey, David | Democrat | Hillsborough | 16 | Nay |
| McNamara, Richard | Democrat | Hillsborough | 38 | Nay |
| Menear, H. Robert | Democrat | Strafford | 25 | Nay |
| Merrill, Amanda | Democrat | Strafford | 6 | Nay |
| Miller, David | Democrat | Strafford | 23 | Nay |
| Moffett, Howard | Democrat | Merrimack | 9 | Nay |
| Moody, Marcia | Democrat | Rockingham | 17 | Nay |
| Moynihan, Wayne | Democrat | Coos | 2 | Nay |
| Mulholland, Catherine | Democrat | Grafton | 17 | Nay |
| Muns, Chris | Democrat | Rockingham | 21 | Nay |
| Myler, Mel | Democrat | Merrimack | 10 | Nay |
| Nordgren, Sharon | Democrat | Grafton | 12 | Nay |
| Pantelakos, Laura | Democrat | Rockingham | 25 | Nay |
| Parkhurst, Henry | Democrat | Cheshire | 13 | Nay |
| Pastor, Beatriz | Democrat | Grafton | 12 | Nay |
| Patten, Dick | Democrat | Merrimack | 17 | Nay |
| Perry, Robert | Democrat | Strafford | 3 | Nay |
| Phillips, Larry | Democrat | Cheshire | 5 | Nay |
| Piper, Wendy | Democrat | Grafton | 10 | Nay |
| Porter, Marjorie | Democrat | Hillsborough | 1 | Nay |
| Ramsey, Peter | Democrat | Hillsborough | 8 | Nay |
| Ratzki, Mario | Democrat | Merrimack | 1 | Nay |
| Raymond, Ian | Democrat | Belknap | 4 | Nay |
| Rhodes, Brian | Democrat | Hillsborough | 30 | Nay |
| Rice, Chip | Democrat | Merrimack | 27 | Nay |
| Richardson, Gary | Democrat | Merrimack | 10 | Nay |
| Robertson, Timothy | Democrat | Cheshire | 6 | Nay |
| Rogers, Katherine | Democrat | Merrimack | 28 | Nay |
| Rogers, Rose Marie | Democrat | Strafford | 22 | Nay |
| Rollo, Deanna | Democrat | Strafford | 18 | Nay |
| Rosenwald, Cindy | Democrat | Hillsborough | 30 | Nay |
| Sad, Tara | Democrat | Cheshire | 1 | Nay |
| Schamberg, Thomas | Democrat | Merrimack | 4 | Nay |
| Schlachman, Donna | Democrat | Rockingham | 18 | Nay |
| Schmidt, Andrew | Democrat | Sullivan | 1 | Nay |
| Schmidt, Janice | Democrat | Hillsborough | 28 | Nay |
| Schmidt, Peter | Democrat | Strafford | 19 | Nay |
| Schuett, Dianne | Democrat | Merrimack | 20 | Nay |
| Shattuck, Gilman | Democrat | Hillsborough | 1 | Nay |
| Shepardson, Marjorie | Democrat | Cheshire | 10 | Nay |
| Sherman, Thomas | Democrat | Rockingham | 24 | Nay |
| Shurtleff, Stephen | Democrat | Merrimack | 11 | Nay |
| Smith, Marjorie | Democrat | Strafford | 6 | Nay |
| Smith, Suzanne | Democrat | Grafton | 8 | Nay |
| Spang, Judith | Democrat | Strafford | 6 | Nay |
| Spratt, Stephen | Democrat | Hillsborough | 4 | Nay |
| Stevens, Audrey | Democrat | Strafford | 7 | Nay |
| Sullivan, Daniel | Democrat | Hillsborough | 42 | Nay |
| Sullivan, Peter | Democrat | Hillsborough | 10 | Nay |
| Sweeney, Cynthia | Democrat | Sullivan | 8 | Nay |
| Sykes, George | Democrat | Grafton | 13 | Nay |
| Tanner, Linda | Democrat | Sullivan | 9 | Nay |
| Tatro, Bruce | Democrat | Cheshire | 15 | Nay |
| Theberge, Robert | Democrat | Coos | 3 | Nay |
| Ticehurst, Susan | Democrat | Carroll | 3 | Nay |
| Till, Mary | Democrat | Rockingham | 6 | Nay |
| Townsend, Charles | Democrat | Grafton | 11 | Nay |
| Turcotte, Alan | Democrat | Merrimack | 22 | Nay |
| Vail, Suzanne | Democrat | Hillsborough | 29 | Nay |
| Verschueren, James | Democrat | Strafford | 13 | Nay |
| Wall, Janet | Democrat | Strafford | 6 | Nay |
| Wallner, Mary Jane | Democrat | Merrimack | 10 | Nay |
| Walsh, Robert | Democrat | Hillsborough | 11 | Nay |
| Walz, Mary Beth | Democrat | Merrimack | 23 | Nay |
| Ward, Gerald | Democrat | Rockingham | 28 | Nay |
| Ward, Kenneth | Democrat | Strafford | 21 | Nay |
| Watrous, Rick | Democrat | Merrimack | 16 | Nay |
| Wazlaw, Brian | Democrat | Rockingham | 29 | Nay |
| Webb, Leigh | Democrat | Merrimack | 3 | Nay |
| Weber, Lucy | Democrat | Cheshire | 1 | Nay |
| Weed, Charles | Democrat | Cheshire | 16 | Nay |
| White, Syndi | Democrat | Carroll | 2 | Nay |
| Whittemore, Lisa | Democrat | Rockingham | 5 | Nay |
| Williams, Kermit | Democrat | Hillsborough | 4 | Nay |
| Woodbury, David | Democrat | Hillsborough | 5 | Nay |
| Young, Harry | Democrat | Cheshire | 14 | Nay |
Minority Leader Chandler calls for an ITL to kill the thing, and then the vote to reconsider the study committee option fails, taking the bill out of play until next year.
