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 Those laws are being repealed, as evidence accumulates that they did more harm than good. In the last two years, New Hampshire legislature has passed permitless “Constitutional carry.”
In 2016, the New Hampshire House passed the Constitutional carry bill 206 to 146. Both times the bill was vetoed by Democratic governor Maggie Hassan. Third time lucky? Now, early in the 2017 session, the New Hampshire Senate passed SB 12-FN with a healthy 13 to 10 margin, defeating two attempts at amendment, on January 19, 2017.
Needless to say, Republicans voted for the bill, Democrats against. The good news: Republican Governor Chris Sununu said he’d sign a Constitutional carry bill.
So it’s highly likely that New Hampshire will soon become the first state to move to permitless or “Constitutional carry” in 2017. As with the other 10 states that moved to CC, the Granite State’s “shall issue” permit system will remain in place for residents seeking reciprocity with other states.
New Hampshire is bordered on the east by Maine and on the west by Vermont. Both of those states have Constitutional carry. Massachusetts — the birthplace of the American revolution and a bastion of anti-gun legislation — lies to New Hampshire’s south. There’s little to no chance that the “may issue” Massachusetts will follow its neighbors’ lead into Constitutional Carry.
©2017 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice and link are included. Gun Watch