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Posted on 01/03/2012 7:54:12 AM PST by marktwain
Gov. John Lynch is asking House lawmakers to reject three gun bills.
Votes are expected tomorrow or Thursday on the measures that would loosen gun restrictions.
Lynch will be joined by police chiefs, sheriffs, state police and college officials at a press conference today opposing House Bill 334.
The bill would give the Legislature sole authority to regulate guns on public land or in publicly owned or financed buildings, according to the governor's office.
"This means that there could be no prohibition on guns in public college or university classrooms, dorms or anywhere else on campus," a statement from Lynch's office read.
It also could let guns into Verizon Wireless Arena in Manchester or buildings leased by private companies at Pease International Tradeport, according to the governor.
Lynch also is opposing HB 536. That would do away with a gun permitting process that's been in place for decades, according to Lynch.
HB 194, meanwhile, would overturn a ban on loaded guns in vehicles.
"This would dramatically increase risks for accidental discharge," the governor's office said.
Proponents of the measures disagree.
Gun bill supporters say it's all about politics
"The governor is blowing this all out of proportion for political gain," Rep. Al Baldasaro, R-Londonderry, said.
Baldasaro is a sponsor of HB 334 and supports the other bills.
He said HB 334 brings state colleges and universities into line with existing state law, while letting private colleges and universities keep their own policies.
New Hampshire law allows people to openly carry guns, Baldasaro pointed out. They must obtain a permit from police if they wish to conceal the gun under clothing or in a vehicle, he said.
"State colleges are making their own rules, going against the law of New Hampshire," Baldasaro said.
Under state law, he said, a person is free to walk into a public library, wearing a gun.
"Right now, you can wear a gun in libraries," he said.
The other bills make it easier for hunters to transport guns, he said.
"New Hampshire is big for hunters," Baldasaro said.
New Hampshire's respect for the rights of gun owners is why there is less crime here than other states, according to Baldasaro said.
"People think twice about breaking in because of our gun laws," he said.
He said he is optimistic about passage for HB 334 and the other bills.
"The outlook in the House is it's going to pass," Baldasaro said. "New Hampshire is live free or die."
Speaker William O'Brien has been supportive, he said.
House Majority Leader D.J. Bettencourt, R-Salem, said there may be a number of floor amendments on HB 334.
"Our goal in House leadership is to ensure we protect citizen rights to bear arms," Bettencourt said.
GOP optimistic about passage
Baldasaro also likes the bills' prospects in the Senate.
"I think we have good support," Baldasaro said.
The press conference may signal concern in the governor's office that the Legislature could override his veto, should he use it on the bills.
"He doesn't know" if he has the votes to override, Baldasaro said. "We overrode his veto the last time on a gun bill."
Rep. Jim Webb, R-Derry, said he will support the bill affecting colleges, though he concedes it's a difficult decision.
"I have to go with the Second Amendment on that one," Webb said.
He said he wonders if more lives would have been spared at Virginia Tech, the scene of a rampage shooting, if law-abiding citizens had guns.
"I don't want to limit people protecting themselves at school," Webb said.
Webb intends to vote for the bill allowing loaded guns in vehicles, but only because it prohibits rounds in the chamber.
"That was the compromise in committee," he said. "Not being in the chamber, the gun is really safe."
Webb is waiting on floor debate over the permit question before making up his mind, but admits he likes the permit system.
"Our permit process is so easy," Webb said. "I'd prefer a permit."
Baldasaro said he isn't concerned about the opposition from the police chiefs.
"Keep in mind, a lot of our chiefs come from out of state, Massachusetts and other places," Baldasaro said. "They think they're God. This is a political show for the governor, that's all it is."
Bettencourt noted Lynch is calling a press conference on gun legislation, while House Republican leaders are holding one this week about legislation affecting the economy and job creation.
"I guess there's a little contrast in priorities," Bettencourt said. "House Republican leadership has more faith in the people of New Hampshire that they know how to use firearms safely."
• • •
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New motto: “Live semi-free or die”
Sounds great. If it is a "PUBLIC" institution, it shouldn't have restrictions based Leftist ideology.
Rep. Jim Webb, R-Derry, said he will support the bill affecting colleges, though he concedes it's a difficult decision.
"I have to go with the Second Amendment on that one," Webb said.
He said he wonders if more lives would have been spared at Virginia Tech, the scene of a rampage shooting, if law-abiding citizens had guns.
"I don't want to limit people protecting themselves at school," Webb said.
Democrats don’t want 18-20 year-olds carrying guns and drinking, because they believe them to be “too immature and rash to make good decisions”.
However, they DO WANT them to vote, based on the same assertion.
You are either a full citizen at 18 (or another designated age) or you are not. If you aren’t a full citizen, you shouldn’t be voting.
So does Lynch also want prohibitions on women, blacks, gays, maybe freedom of speech in "public college university classrooms, dorms or anywhere else on campus?"
..unless they are Marines serving drinks to Nancy Pelosi and her guests while wafting above fly-over country.
Meant that the cops couldn't even get into the building, nor could any of the students escape ~ the perp had locked the doors with a simple steel chain!
NH seems to like Democrats and Willard. They are dead to me.
This can't be true. The FR jackbooting licking contingent has repeatedly stated that "the police are on our side."
Lynch is, after all, a democrat.
Not true at all
The school had out of date door closing mechanisms installed at the main entrance, and the glass was backed by steel wire. Meant that the cops couldn't even get into the building, nor could any of the students escape ~ the perp had locked the doors with a simple steel chain!
You're ignoring the possibility that one of the students locked in with the lunatic could have been armed if it weren't for Va Tech's anti-self defense policy.
Wrong. The question is what will the rank and file DO when it comes to enforcing unconstitutional laws? What they think is irrelevant.
I think the answer is pretty clear. If you look back to the NYC Dinkins confiscations, the "rank and file" had no problems confiscating semiautos that had been registered and no problem arresting the handful of NYers who failed to comply with the Dinkins gun removal scheme. Oh and the police in New Orleans after Katrina had no problems confiscating peoples' weapons. WHen sone poor sucker's "arsenal" is discovered, the "rank and file" never seem to have a problem confiscating it. So I think yes, I can judge them as a group.
Liberals believe you have the right to live, day-after-day, in public parks, but you do not have the right to carry a firearm in a public park.
“Let’s not act like police are some monolithic group that all want to take the public’s guns away from them. I can show you a lot of stories of police chief’s that support conceal carry. Do you think that Sherrif Joe Arpaio is against conceal carry? Many police chiefs are political appointees. Question is, what do the rank and file police believe. Many of them are probably for conceal carry by law abiding citizens. Don’t paint with too broad a brush.”
Really! The Sheriff Joe’s are few and far between today and kudos for them, they are doing what they were elected or appointed to do. That said, the vast majority of LEOs want guns to be their exclusive province. Sadly, the broad brush is a reality today.
Maybe 4 or 5 saved ~ tops.
Evey taking your scenario (with which I don't agree BTW) Don't you think 4 or 5 saved might have been better?
plus, he'd taken care to get cover before starting if he thought others had firearms
I would hypothesize that if he thought that others might have been armed he wouldn't have done what he did. He picked a place where these is no effective self defense for a reason - that reason being obviously that he didn't want to get killed before he caused as much harm as possible.
He was nuts.
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