I have good news to report; last Wednesday the Senate voted to overturn the Governor’s veto of SB 88.
Your phone calls and emails were instrumental in making sure that Senators didn’t cave to the pressure from the gun grabbers.
There is only one hurdle left.
The House still has to vote to override the Governor’s veto before SB 88 can become law.
SB 88 ends the requirement to retreat in the face of an attack anyplace you have a right to be.
Imagine walking out of the grocery store with your children in tow and, suddenly, a man steps out of the shadows, charges towards you, pulls a knife, and demands your money.
Imagine your wife or daughter returning to her car from the Mall of NH when a man runs up to her swinging a baseball bat and demanding she get in his car.
Imagine walking to your car after a hockey game at the Verizon Arena, and two men pop out from behind a car, guns drawn, and demand that you…
In each case, if you defend yourself with deadly force, if you can’t prove that you could not retreat safely, you may be forced to defend yourself a second time in a courtroom. Under New Hampshire law, except in your home or its curtilage, you must retreat before you can defend yourself; Senate Bill 88 will allow you to defend yourself without retreating in any place you have a right to be.
You should not be forced to run from an attacker before defending yourself. SB 88 would fix the law so you don’t have to.
Another provision in SB 88 was specially crafted to prevent another person from being unjustly sent to prison for merely displaying a firearm.
SB 88 makes it clear that the display of a firearm to warn away trespassers is not criminal. Displaying, without firing a firearm, to protect your property should not land you in prison.
Unfortunately, despite the importance of SB 88 and despite your phone calls and emails, two Republican Senators who had voted for SB 88 only a few months ago, voted against overriding the Governor’s veto.
This has me worried.
You see, there was only one vote to spare when the Senate overrode the Governor’s veto.
I have already been informed that many State Representatives are feeling as much or more pressure to cave than was being put on the Senators before the vote.
I am concerned that without sufficient pressure from gun owners, many Representatives will cave in to the pressure from gun-grabbers to kill this bill.
I need you to call or email your State Representatives today!
The House could be voting on overriding the Governor’s veto as soon as this Wednesday.
I need your help.
With the vote in Senate being so close, I cannot take any chances that Representatives will switch their votes.
Despite passing the House last time with a super majority, every vote counts this time, and you and I cannot afford defection by even a few Representatives.
That is why I need you to email your State Representatives immediately!
Your State Representatives needs to be reminded that any State Representative who does not vote on the record to override the Governor’s veto of SB 88 will be considered a traitor to firearms owners.
If we want to see this important piece of legislation become law, we need to make sure every Representative who voted for SB 88 the first time, votes to override the Governor’s veto.
I need you to contact your State Representatives, tell them you don’t want their vote only when there is a wide majority. Tell them they need to vote in support of your right to self defense when it really matters, when every vote could be the deciding vote.
Please email your State Representatives today, it is crucial if we want to end the unjust requirement to retreat in the face of an attack.
You and I, together, can get this important legislation enacted, but I need you to act now!
Sincerely,
Jonathan R. Evans, Esq.
President, NHFC
P.S. It is crucial to the fight to overide the Governor’s veto of SB 88 that you call and/or email your State Representatives immediately. Your State Representative’s Contact information can be found on the House Website.
We can end the unjust duty to retreat, this is the last step, but we must act now!
