A Backdoor Assault On Our Right-To-Carry In New Hampshire
By BOB HARRIS
Outdoors and Free
Friday, Mar. 9, 2007
As the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition has stated, "It didn’t take long to happen." Emboldened by the new Democrat majority, Senator Peter Burling (D-5) and Representatives Lee Hammond (D-Grafton 11) and John Tholl (R-Coos 2) have introduced a bill that would change the New Hampshire Pistol/Revolver License from the "best in the nation" to the "worst in the nation". Basically, Senate Bill SB-44 seeks to drastically change the concealed carry licensing statute to make it easier for the issuing authority to deny you a concealed handgun carry permit.
As introduced, SB-44 lets an official deny a pistol/revolver carry license to any person the official believes to be a member of a terrorist or criminal organization. The terms "terrorist" and "criminal" organization are not defined in this bill. Anti-gun officials can arbitrarily declare any organization, which they dislike, to be a terrorist or criminal organization. Even worse, you don’t actually have to be a member of or even have any connection with, such an organization. If you are simply suspected of being a member, this bill’s sponsors want to rob you of your civil and Second Amendment rights to self-defense. How many times I’ve seen statements from anti-gun politicians about the National Rifle Association being a "radical organization" I can’t count on my fingers.
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SB-44 does even further damage. It repeals the laws which allow for the awarding of legal fees when a licensing authority breaks the licensing laws. You could spend tens of thousands of dollars in legal fees to convince a judge that you were wrongly denied a license to carry. As the law currently reads, you can recover your costs from the "official" who abused your right by wrongly denying you your right to carry. Basically, Senator Peter Burling wants to protect abusive officials against having to reimburse your legal expenses.
SB-44 is a scenario where anti-gun officials will be able to act without fear of being held accountable for their actions. Yet, if you or I were to violate a law, these same folks will most certainly be right there to prosecute us. If senator Burling has his way, officials who break the law and deny you your civil rights to be armed will face no consequences whatever.
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Jonathan R. Evens, President of the New Hampshire Firearms Coalition, Inc., sums it up truthfully. He says, "SB-44 is only the beginning of the new majority’s anti-gun agenda. We can expect more and more attempts to make New Hampshire the test state for a broad state and national anti-gun agenda. If they can pass this sort of thing in the ’Live Free or Die’ state, they can pass it anywhere. Senator Burling’s plan is to systematically, piece by piece, dismantle our freedoms.
Firearms owners need to pull together and fight to defeat SB-44. There are two things folks can do to help defeat this bill. 1. Write, e-mail or call your Representatives (e-mail addresses can be found by going to:
http://www.gencourt.state.nh.us/senate/senatemembers.asp.
Even better, if you can possibly do so, the Senate Judiciary Committee has scheduled SB-44 for a hearing on Thursday,
March 15 at 9:00 a.m. in the State House, Room 103, in Concord. Please try to attend. This is the first anti-gun measure before the committee this year, so your attendance is vitally important. If you cannot attend the hearing, you should call your state Senator, as soon as possible, at 271-2111 and urge him or her to oppose Senate Bill 44. Goffstown is in Senate District 20 and the person to call is Senator Lou D’Allesando. His e-mail address is:
dalas@leg.state.nh.us . His home phone number is 669-3494. If you can attend the hearing, even if you don’t wish to speak, do sign in on the blue form and indicate on it that you are opposed to SB-44. May freedom ring.
EDITOR'S NOTE: On Thursday, March 15, 2007, the Senate
Judiciary Committee voted the bill inexpedient to legislate by a
5-0 vote. However, this bill may yet go before the full
Senate for a vote.
Bob Harris can be reached via e-mail at:
outwriter2@aol.com |
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