And respond with guns blazing (heh!). This past Wednesday the Education Committee heard testimony from LOTS of people on:
- HB101 having to do “This bill allows a school district, school administrative unit, or chartered public school to adopt and enforce a policy regulating firearms, firearms components, ammunition, firearms supplies, or knives within its jurisdiction”
- HB564 “This bill prohibits carrying a firearm in a safe school zone”.
Both are dangerous bills with 101 being more so than 564 as it establishes a foothold at the top of a “Home Rule” slippery slope that portends bad things for NH. While we talk about local control with pride here in NH with Town Meetings, we really are a Dillon’s Rule state where municipalities and districts are mere subdivisions of The State. That means that they are allowed to do only what the State of NH allows them leeway to do via enabling legislation. While you might ask “well, what’s wrong with more local control?”, the answer is “do you want the laws to change, sometimes to the exact opposite, when you drive over a town line into the next?”. Right now, there is no preemption of State level gun laws; HB101 would allow each jurisdiction to set their own legal rules with their own penalties. It would be highly possible to be legal in your town and in driving to Concord, if you pass the next town’s high school on your way, you’d be a felon. Now take that up to the next level with a couple hundred School Districts across the State. Chaos doesn’t begin to describe it – so would you want to risk legal ramifications carrying even with a valid and legal NH Pistol / Revolver license?
Probably not – and that’s the point of this bill: a de facto total gun ban. Oh, they SAY it doesn’t infringe on your Second Amendment / Article 2-a Right – it’s only about local control, right? Yeah, what’s the ideological makeup of your local School Board and if it is on a tipping point, how well could it resist the teachers’ unions (who ARE against guns) push, push, and threat of votes? HB564 just snips away at legal CCW / PRL owners that would totally deny your Right to have your defense with you because SCHOOL! They scream “SAFE SPACE” – and smile because your Right has just been obviated and you are now UNsafe..
So, five Groksters showed up: Susan Olsen, Tom Flaherty, Kimberly Morin, Dan Itse, and of course, myself.
Susan:
Kimberly:
Tom:
Dan:
Your’s truly:
(H/T: Image: Dave Soloman, Union Leader (Twitter))
