NH: House Kills "Universal Background Checks" 2-1

 Image courtesy of wmur.com 

A controversial bill that would have imposed the requirement for government permission for nearly all private firearm transfers failed in the New Hampshire House of Representatives on Wednesday, 12 February.

The bill appeared to have some support, with a majority vote early in the amendment process.   After nearly two hours of debate the house voted nearly two to one to kill the bill.

Second amendment supporters were concerned that Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire citizen disarmament zealot, might have injected enough money into the process to overcome the strong grassroots opposition in New Hampshire.   New Hampshire has been a shining example of a state with relatively few infringements on the second amendment, and a very low crime rate.  

Background checks in federal law have never included private sales, creating a safety valve that prevents effective gun registration from being implemented.  A universal background check law that required all sales to obtain government permission, creates a system to allow for registration in the future.

In the Heller decision, Justice Scalia wrote that commercial sales could be regulated, implying that under the second amendment, the regulation of private sales of weapons would fall outside of federal power.

In New Hampshire, grassroots opposition overcame elitist funding.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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