I wrote to you yesterday to tell you about the Senate playing games with your rights.
Unfortunately, the games played by the Senate have spilled over into the House.
You see, the House Criminal Justice & Public Safety decided to replace the provisions of Senate Bill 88 with the provisions of the two bills I told you about yesterday, HB 210 and HB 378. Unfortunately they decided to also include the provisions of the flawed attempt at Constitutional Carry found in House Bill 330.
The committee did not copy exactly the language of the severely flawed HB 330, but they still left several shortcomings that make it a step backwards for firearms owners, and not a step forward.
As I told you earlier this year, there is a bill for Real Constitutional Carry in the house; however, in pushing forward with the flawed bill, the committee shelved that bill for next year.
Not only does the committee amendment fail to completely repeal the prohibition on carrying a loaded firearm in any vehicle, but it also has the potential to jeopardize existing carry reciprocity with other states.
The full House of Representatives will be voting on the Committee recommendation to pass SB 88 with the flawed amendment this Wednesday.
There is good news, however. Despite the committee’s attempt to delay a vote on Real Constitutional Carry until next year, we have an opportunity to force one now.
Rep. Hoell, the sponsor of the original Real Constitutional Carry bill, has proposed a floor amendment to SB 88, that not only incorporates the provisions of HB 210 and HB 378, but implements Constitutional Carry using language from his original bill, instead of the flawed HB 330 language.
Rep. Hoell’s amendment, while not his entire Constitutional Carry bill, clearly establishes unlicensed carry, without restrictions on carry in any vehicle, and does not harm reciprocity. Further, Representative Hoell’s makes several other improvements to the license to carry.
I have not given up on getting a vote on Rep. Hoell’s Real Constitutional Carry bill next year, but we need to take advantage of this opportunity, provided by Rep. Hoell’s amendment, to both stop this flawed version of Constitutional Carry, and to get a vote on a clean bill that does not harm NH firearms owners.
This is where you come in.
I need you to call and/or email your Representatives, tell them to only support SB 88 with the Hoell floor amendment.
You should be able to carry a firearms to protect yourself without being forced to beg for government permission. Rep. Hoell’s floor amendment would make that happen without the problems that are created by the committee amendment.
With the vote taking place on Wednesday, it is crucial that you contact your representatives immediately. Tell them not to allow the flawed amendment go forward, but to support Rep. Hoell’s floor amendment instead.
We have a chance to get a strong vote in favor of a good Constitutional Carry bill, but you must act quickly!
In Liberty,
Jonathan R. Evans, Esq.
President, NHFC
P.S. The committee amendment to SB 88 has the potential to harm firearms owner.It is crucial that you call and/or email your representatives immediately, tell them to only support Rep. Hoell’s floor amendment. Find your representatives on the House website.
