New Hampshire is a Constitutional Carry State. If you are legally permitted to carry a firearm, you do not need to ask permission. It is also a Dillons Rule State. Local governments cannot regulate anything without the State saying they may and how, but they do, including firearms.
HB307 – “relative to the state preemption of the regulation of firearms and ammunition,” would clarify that NH is not a home rule state.
That the New Hampshire legislature has not given towns the authority to restrict if, where, and when a lawful gun owner may carry a firearm concealed or otherwise beyond what it has specified.
Towns have, however, (one example here) posted signs and declared areas weapons-free and off-limits.
Related: 2020: Gun Crazy New Hampshire Has Lowest Murder Rate in the Nation
HB307 would allow citizens to sue the town for violating state law (and the rights protected by it) which includes court costs, up to 10,000.00 in additional fines (which I’ll call new gun and more ammo money), and the governor could remove the officials directly responsible for violating their rights.
The Bill passed the House last year and (I am told) is up for consideration in the NH Senate Judiciary Committee this coming Tuesday, December 28th.
You should be able to email the entire committee using this link, or you can do so from the committee web page here. Be polite and encouraging, and always brief. Remember, it’s not an op-ed; it’s an email, and your goal is to persuade.
This legislation is scheduled for a floor vote on January 5th, after which it would go to Governor Sununu for his signature.
Mr. Sununu has been bad on much but good on the right to self-defense. A few kind words of encouragement might not be a waste of time to see this through into law.
If you’d like more info, Cam Edwards from Cam and Company digs down into the details a bit more here:
