Pro-Gun New Hampshire

[Posted Friday, May 18, 2012, at 6:00 p.m. -- updated Sunday, May 20, 2012, at 7:00 p.m.] 

As predicted, the NH Senate finally killed HB536 – which, after a complete re-write by the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, and another complete rewrite by the Senate Judiciary Committee, was the last chance this year for Constitutional Carry in New Hampshire.  

There are four “gun groups” in New Hampshire.  The NH chapter of Second Amendment Sisters has done exemplary work in educating and training women in self-defense, but for now has focused on that project rather than on legislative advocacy.**  For opinions on gun-related legislation, the state legislature looks to Pro-Gun New Hampshire (PGNH), Gun Owners of New Hampshire (GO-NH), and the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition (NHFC), as well as the NH representative of the NRA.  

There are two prevalent opinions on why there hasn’t been legislative progress on pro-gun legislation in recent times:   

[Posted Saturday, May 5, 2012, at 11:10 a.m.] Editor’s note:  New Hampshire State Senator Sharon Carson, a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee and an Advisor to Pro-Gun New Hampshire, presented the following for publication on our website, www.PGNH.org. It is a version of her statement about HB536 on the Senate floor on May 2nd under Senate Rule 2-17, which among other things allows senators to “as a matter of personal privilege, defend his/her position on a bill…against unfair or unwarranted criticism.”   

Along with the Senate speech, Senator Carson asked us to add her statement that "I support this issue; this is just not the right bill." 

[Posted Wednesday, May 2, 2012, at 10:30 p.m.]  Today the full NH state senate voted to table HB536, essentially letting it die, after the Senate Judiciary Committee passed the bill, with an amendment, last Friday.  As we reported, the amended bill wasn't perfect, but was a step forward, and would have allowed law-abiding citizens to carry concealed in New Hampshire without a license (like Vermont, Alaska, Arizona, and Wyoming).  The committee amendment was designed to placate legislators and voters sensitized by the recent criminal shootings in the state, as well as gain support from the police chiefs association; as we said, the conditions of the amendment were unnecessary and inappropriate, but basically harmless, and would have made the bill useful as a first step toward better legislation later.  Unfortunately, both Gun Owners of New Hampshire and the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition came out in opposition to the amended bill -- thereby, in our opinion, giving the senate an excuse for not "rocking the boat."  Once again, some people just haven't learned that "the perfect is the enemy of the good."

[Posted Sunday, April 29, 2012, at 10:30 a.m.]  The NH Senate Judiciary Committee was supposed to have voted on the Constitutional Carry bill HB536 last Wednesday, April 25, but delayed the vote until Friday the 27th.  At that time they added a major amendment to the bill and passed the amended bill by a vote of four to one. 

The bill will be voted on by the full state senate on Wednesday, May 2; if it passes the Senate, it must then be approved by a Committee of Conference between House and Senate (required because one body changed another body's bill).  If it passes the Committee of Conference, it then goes to the governor for his signature -- although Governor Lynch has said he'll veto the bill. 

[Posted Friday, April 27, 2012, at 11:20 a.m.]  Two weeks ago, during a police drug raid on Cullen Mutrie of Greenland, NH, Mutrie shot and killed the local police chief, and then killed his girlfriend and drug-dealing accomplice Brittany Tibbetts before committing suicide.  Because of an earlier domestic violence conviction, Mutrie was prohibited from possessing guns, but Tibbetts bought the handguns used in the killings at a Manchester gun show in January.   

[Posted Friday, April 27, 2012, at 11:10 a.m.]  The business of Pro-Gun New Hampshire is usually conducted by email and telephone, but on Wednesday, April 25, the Pro-Gun New Hampshire Council of Advisors met for the biennial election of the organization's president.  Most of the Council of Advisors are current and former state legislators from both political parties.  In addition to discussing proposals for future state legislation, the Council unanimously reelected Bob Clegg, former NH state senator and senate majority leader, for another two-year term as President. 

[Posted Monday, April 23, 2012, at 8:15 p.m. -- updated Friday, April 27, 2012, at 12:10 p.m.] 

by Evan F. Nappen

Washington, D.C.   Senator Lousenburg (D. NJ) has filed the “Turn Tail and Run” (TTR) bill in the U.S. Senate which, if passed, would preempt ALL State “Stand Your Ground” (SYG) laws.  The new bill would impose a national duty to retreat at all times when one encounters a criminal threat or is about to become a victim of violent crime. New York City Mayor Bloomingidiot has made passage of the “TTR” a centerpiece of his national "Second Chance at Shoot First" campaign. The mayor heartily approved of TTR, especially since bodyguards of celebrities, VIP’s, and political figures were exempted.

[Posted Friday, April 6, 2012, at 12:30 p.m.]  In a court case that should give notice to every police chief in New Hampshire to obey the law on issuing concealed carry licenses, Rockingham County Superior Court Judge Kenneth R. McHugh ordered Newton Police Chief Lawrence Streeter to issue Robert J. Ferrara’s concealed carry license (License to Carry) and awarded attorney fees and costs. Under New Hampshire law (RSA 159:6-f), an issuing authority -- typically the police chief -- may be personally liable to pay reasonable attorney fees and costs for violating the state law on issuing licenses (RSA 159:6). In this case, the Town of Newton was also sued and could be held responsible to pay as well.  

The lawsuit was brought on behalf of Mr. Ferrara by the law firm of E.F. Nappen Attorney at Law P.C., Concord.  Mr. Ferrara applied for a license and never received a written denial as required by law. Under New Hampshire law (RSA 159:6), a chief of police or other issuing authority has 14 days to approve or deny such an application in writing.  A written denial must be delivered to the applicant.   

[Posted Friday, February 17, at 9:30 a.m.] The NH "Gun Line" is not only a waste of your time and money, but it causes dealers to lose sales! This petition will go to the NH state legislature.  For background, see our earlier article, http://pgnh.org/legislative_alert_support_hb1220_at_hearing_tomorrow .

GO TO: http://www.thepetitionsite.com/1/pass-hb1220-and-end-the-state-gunline-doing-nics-checks/

[Posted Wednesday, February 15, 2012, at 8:00 p.m.]  In contrast to other gun-rights organizations in this state, Pro-Gun New Hampshire was formed with a leadership -- our Board of Directors and Council of Advisors -- comprised of both active members of the state legislature and people who have the respect of the legislature either because they are former legislators themselves or they have earned a reputation for knowledge and maturity about legislative matters. 

There are hundreds of bills filed in the New Hampshire legislature each year.  Although every one of them must have a public hearing in an appropriate legislative committee, many of these bills are destined to be DOA, for several reasons: they may be too extreme for the committee, they may be poorly drafted, or they may just be of little interest.  One important predictor of a bill's future, for example,  is the number of co-sponsors it has attracted.  It is our job to decide which bills deserve the efforts of our membership to support.

Tomorrow, February 16, the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee, meeting in room 204 of the Legislative Office Building, will hear the following three bills -- all vaguely gun-related -- which may be well-intentioned, but which we believe have "no traction" and therefore should not require the efforts of our membership to support -- in part because of the danger of the "cry wolf" problem.