The NH Legislative Facilities Committee voted today to ban firearms in the NH St

[Blain]

This rule is illegal according to NH state law and the state constitution.  Gov Benson signed HB 415 into law in 2004 that the state can not make a local firearms law more restrictive than the state level.  They would have to amend the state constitution for this to be legal.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?p=436126

"The governor also praised HB 415, which clarifies that the state has authority and jurisdiction over all aspects of gun and ammunition use and regulation and prohibits towns and cities from passing any regulations or ordinances concerning guns and ammunition.

The bill also nullifies any existing regulations or ordinances.

Benson said “HB 415 eliminates the patchwork of laws that get people in trouble with firearms. Towns and cities can no longer go off and make a patchwork of regulations.”

Later he said people who are going to commit illegal acts will commit them even if there are laws on the books.

A lawful gun owner can go from one town to another and be legal in one community, but not legal in another the governor said.

The bill became effective July 18, when Benson actually signed the bill. "

[doobie]

Start barraging the Speaker's Office 603-271-3661 and the President's Office 603-271-2111 to complain against the dangerous weapon ban.

[stanford]

I just called all nine critters. Mostly voice mail, one busy, two spouses took a message.

Surprise! I just got a call back from Lou D'Allesandro from Manchester. I asked him why they passed this regulation. He said they were just reinstating a regulation that was in force from 199-whatever until 2006. I asked him why he would reinstate something that was so bad it was repealed. He said that it was repealed because it was not specific. His committee defined exactly where guns should be banned and therefore it was valid, or something like that.

We chatted for a while about the 2008 bill that was roundly ITL'd in committee and defeated in the house. I also reminded him that the bill's sponsor, Rep Kjellman, was thrown out in the next election. He said that he is just trying to protect individual liberties while protecting the politicians. My assertion that self-defense is a basic human right just sailed right past him.

I asked him if there was an incident that brought this to the forefront now. He mentioned the incident when people from the gallery were shouting obscenities during a house vote. He said he wasn't there, so he couldn't comment. This was the HCR 6 vote.

I told him that I was there, and if shouting obscenities was the problem, then why didn't his committee just outlaw the shouting of obscenities? He said that some people were armed. I told him that tempers were certainly hot, but that I did not feel threatened at any time.

I told him I appreciated his courage in calling me back. Maybe it wasn't courage because I didn't tell his wife if I was for or against the regulation, but he called anyway.

So far, no one else has returned my calls. I'll report if there's anything worth reporting.

There's a post at the beginning of this thread with the names and phone numbers of the nine committee members who voted for this rule. I encourage everyone reading this to at least leave a message. Use the home phone number, as it is after hours and they always enjoy getting personal calls from their constituents.

Hopefully, I'll see you at the state house at 2:30 on Wednesday!

[RavenNH]

I sent the following to everyone on the list
I was shocked to hear of your vote banning weapons in the state house and state house "controlled" properties.

These are municipal properties owned by the people of New Hampshire and not subject to your whims. 

In addition to the public right to reasonable access in the Constitution you are also violating state RSAs as follows:

TITLE XII
PUBLIC SAFETY AND WELFARE
CHAPTER 159
PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS
State Jurisdiction
Section 159:26
    159:26 Firearms and Ammunition; Authority of the State. –
    I. To the extent consistent with federal law, the state of New Hampshire shall have authority and jurisdiction over the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter pertaining to firearms, firearms components, ammunition, or firearms supplies in the state. Except as otherwise specifically provided by statute, no ordinance or regulation of a political subdivision may regulate the sale, purchase, ownership, use, possession, transportation, licensing, permitting, taxation, or other matter pertaining to firearms, firearms components, ammunition, or firearms supplies in the state. Nothing in this section shall be construed as affecting a political subdivision's right to adopt zoning ordinances for the purpose of regulating firearms businesses in the same manner as other businesses or to take any action allowed under RSA 207:59.

Please correct your error and rescind this illegal action of your committee.

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