Pro-Gun New Hampshire

[Posted February 20, 2010, at 3:05 p.m.]  There's a Second Amendment restriction in New Hampshire that just got worse.  Pro-Gun New Hampshire (PGNH) tried to correct the original law, and the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition (NHFC) took an allied position, but Gun Owners of New Hampshire (GO-NH), the NRA state affiliate organization for New Hampshire, disagreed.  The result is that the New Hampshire legislature is on its way toward perpetuating a gun ban in the state of New Hampshire.

RSA 207:7, within the fish and game chapters of NH state law, was supposed to be an anti-poaching law; its title is "Hunting From Motor Vehicle, OHRV, Snowmobile, Boat, or Aircraft," and its first part reads: "I. No person shall take or attempt to take wild birds or wild animals from a motor vehicle, OHRV, snowmobile as defined in RSA 215-C:1, boat, aircraft or other craft propelled by mechanical power." 

(Please see the earlier article "NH Legislative Update February 16, 2010.")  

HB1635, to ban open carry in "public" (government) buildings everywhere in the state:  Committee vote 13-2 for ITL ("Inexpedient to Legislate"); the House will vote on the bill March 3.

HB1665, to decriminalize automatic knives ("switch knives") and double-edged knives ("dirks and daggers"): PASSED the House (consent calendar) February 17.

HB1161, to repeal the law requiring a town license to sell pistols at retail: PASSED the House (consent calendar) February 17.

HB1447, making it easier to shoot on your property in a "compact area": Committee vote 18-1 for Ought to Pass.  The bill, with Dave Welch's floor amendment to make the written notification to the police chief by certified mail (to document the notification) will be voted on by the House on March 3.

Remember, bills that pass the House must still be approved by the Senate (and vice versa); they must then be approved by the Governor.

[Posted February 18, 2010, at 8:30 p.m.]  The following has been posted on the website of Gun Owners of New Hampshire (GO-NH), www.gonh.org , with the sentence including "PGHN" [sic] printed in red:

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At a hearing on HB 1161 GO-NH, Inc. pointed out that the bill sponsored by an advisor to PGNH was seriously flawed. (PGHN testified in favor of this bill without amendments). This bill, if enacted as introduced by a PGNH advisor, would have prohibited all retail sales of pistols and revolvers in New Hampshire!! and needed amended. The bill has since been amended (see below Amendment to HB 1161); however it needs further amendments, as the amendment proposed does not go far enough (see below).

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Here are updates on five bills of interest in the State House; four of the five are still in play:

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HB 1654 would ban guns in the State House and Legislative Office Building (LOB), with metal detectors at the entrances and felony penalties.  The text of the bill is at http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/HB1654.html .  The Legislative Administration Committee voted against the bill, 15 to 0; the full House killed the bill on February 3 by a vote of 300 to 35.  Here are the 35 state representatives who voted in favor of the bill:

[Posted January 14, 2010, at 10:00 p.m.]  At today's hearing of testimony on HB 1201 before the House Fish and Game and Marine Resources Committee, Attorney Evan Nappen, the Corporate Counsel of Pro-Gun New Hampshire, was the only representative of a gun-rights group to present testimony on HB 1201.

This bill would add muzzle-loading firearms to the prohibitions of RSA 207:7, which prohibits carrying a loaded rifle or shotgun in a vehicle.  Here is Attorney Nappen's testimony:

[Posted January 14, 2010, at 7:30 p.m.]  

The following bills of interest are coming up for public hearings in the next few days in the Legislative Office Building (LOB), behind the State House.  Call your state representatives and senator; you can find them through http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/house/members/wml.aspx .

TUESDAY January 19, 2010. in LOB Room 204 (Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee):

At 10:00 a.m.: HB 1161 -- would repeal RSA 159:8, which requires a town license to sell pistols or revolvers at retail.  We support this bill.  Links: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/HB1161.html (text); http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=2302&sy=2010&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2010&txtbillnumber=hb1161&q=1 (docket).

At 10:30 a.m.: HB 1447 -- modifies the "compact area" statute, RSA 644:13, making it easier to legally shoot in certain places.  We support this bill.  Links: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/HB1447.html (text); http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=2028&sy=2010&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2010&txtbillnumber=hb1447&q=1 (docket).

At 11:00 a.m.:  HB 1433 -- one of the two Firearms Freedom Act bills.  PGNH is not taking a position on this bill.   Links: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/HB1433.html (text); http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=2351&sy=2010&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2010&txtbillnumber=hb1433&q=1 (docket).

WEDNESDAY January 20, 2010. in LOB Room 205-307 (Commerce and Consumer Affairs Committee):

At 9:30 a.m.:  HB 1285 -- the other Firearms Freedom Act bill.  PGNH is not taking a position on this bill.  Links: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/HB1285.html (text); http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=2014&sy=2010&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2010&txtbillnumber=hb1285&q=1 (docket).

Also, mark your calendar for Thursday, January 28, at 11:30 a.m.:  The House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee will hear testimony, in LOB 204, on HB 1665, the Knife Rights Bill written about elsewhere on this website -- http://pgnh.orgprotecting_your_knife_rights_by_representative_jennifer_coffey .  This is an important bill, and we urge you to testify in its favor.   Links: http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/legislation/2010/HB1665.html (text); http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/bill_docket.aspx?lsr=2015&sy=2010&sortoption=&txtsessionyear=2010&txtbillnumber=hb1665&q=1 (docket).

By State Representative Jenn Coffey, January 6, 2010

The lessons of history are still not yet learned by the NH Legislature. With the creation of a ban on tools of self-defense by the Joint Facilities Committee it has become painfully obvious that some of the members of the New Hampshire Legislature have yet to learn from history.

Think of all the horrific acts that have been perpetrated on the law abiding citizens of our great nation. Columbine, Virginia Tech, Luby's Cafe, and the list goes on. Each of these places have one thing in common, they were all "gun free zones."

It seems to elude many that when you announce to the world you are creating a "gun free zone" you are in fact creating a Killing Zone - a place a criminal knows no one will shoot back; no one will be able to stop them from their crazed plan.