House Bill 1542 Would Have Forced Public Colleges to Allow Guns on Campus
House Bill 1749 Would Have Undermined Public Safety and Local Government Officials
Over 70 Volunteers with the New Hampshire Chapter of Moms Demand Action Attended the Hearing This Morning
CONCORD, N.H – Today the New Hampshire chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, issued the following statement after two dangerous gun bills were defeated. House Bill 1542 would have forced the state’s public universities and community colleges to allow guns on their campuses Thus anyone who can legally possess firearms, including those without concealed carry permits and who haven’t passed background check or completed safety training, would have been able to carry handguns on the “exterior grounds,” which could include open-air stadiums, quads and other sensitive places where students socialize.
Republicans and Democrats alike spoke on the House floor in opposition and were joined ahead of the vote by the University System of New Hampshire, the Community College System of New Hampshire, and the Association of New Hampshire Police Chiefs, who also voiced their opposition to HB 1542.
Two weeks ago the New Hampshire House of Representatives also voted down House Bill 1749 which would have created a punitive preemption law. Punitive prevention is an attempt by the gun lobby to punish local officials who try to enact or enforce public safety laws designed to protect their communities by allowing special interest groups to file lawsuits against them.
STATEMENT FROM DEIDRE REYNOLDS VOLUNTEER LEADER WITH THE NEW HAMPSHIRE CHAPTER OF MOMS DEMAND ACTION FOR GUN SENSE IN AMERICA:
“Both of these bills faced strong bipartisan opposition, and we applaud our lawmakers for listening to the concerns of families, educators, university officials and law enforcement. Last year, legislators rammed through an extremely dangerous permitless carry bill, but this year they have stepped up to oppose the gun lobby’s dangerous agenda. In the wake of the Parkland tragedy, it was encouraging to see lawmakers prioritize public safety over the gun lobby by rejecting these extreme bills.”