NH: Constitutional Carry Bill Passes Senate

The New Hampshire legislature has passed permitless "Constitutional carry" both of the last two years. Both times the bill was vetoed by Democrat governor Maggie Hassan. 

Now, early in the session, the New Hampshire Senate has passed SB 12-FN.  It had five Senators as sponsors, Senators Abard, Birdsell, Carson, Daniels, and Gannon. 

It passed the Senate with a healthy 13 to 10 margin, defeating two attempts at amendment, on January 19, 2017.

In 2016, the New Hampshire House passed the Constitutional carry bill 206 to 146. New Hampshire is bordered on the East by Maine and on the West by Vermont. Both of those states have Constitutional carry.  New Hampshire's requirement for a carry permit was passed about a hundred years ago as "progressive" ideas swept the nation.  Those laws are being repealed as evidence accumulates that they did more harm than good. 

Opponents say that they are an infringement on Second Amendment rights.  In January, 2016, the bill passed the House  206 to 146.  Republicans voted for the bill, Democrats against.

The new Republican Governor, Chris Sununu, said that he would sign the Constitutional carry bill. From concordmonitor.com:

Sununu is not a gun owner but said he would sign a bill doing away with the need for concealed carry permits.

It is likely that New Hampshire will become the first state to move to permitless or "Constitutional carry" in 2017.  As with the other 10 states that have moved to Constitutional carry, the state shall issue permit system will remain in place for the convenience of the armed public. 

Permits are useful for reciprocity with other states.  Half of the states in the Union allow carry permits as an alternate to the NICS instant check system. New Hampshire is not one of those states.


©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included.

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