Gun rights advocates wig out over governor’s expected veto of unlicensed concealed carry bill
“New Hampshire’s current concealed carry permitting law has worked well for nearly a century – ensuring the Second Amendment rights of our citizens while helping to keep the Granite State one of the safest states in the nation,” Hassan said in a statement released earlier this year. “I intend to veto this measure if it passes.”
Senate Bill 116 was originally approved by the Senate in a straight party 14-9 vote. The House passed an amended version by a 212-150 margin, which the Senate then approved in a voice vote. The votes in both chambers are well short of the two-thirds majority that would be needed to override the governor’s veto.
The legislation landed on Hassan’s desk last week. With just five days to act, her veto is expected early this week. And that has supporters ratcheting up the rhetoric.
Saturday, Rep. John Burt (R-Goffstown) suggested the licensing requirement, which Granite Staters support by a two-to-one margin, is cause for a second American Revolution.
“As Governor Hassan is closer to vetoing a Constitutional right that God himself granted to me and our forefather’s guaranteed in writing I should not be watching Sons of Liberty,” he warned on Facebook, referring to the television miniseries dramatizing events leading up to the Revolutionary War.
“Our forefathers would have marched many years ago. I pray she just walks away from SB 116, Constitutional Carry and let it pass into law without signature as her veto will be tyranny.”
In an online forum, Rep. JR Hoell (R-Dunbarton) summoned up a more recent historical analogy. “Only a communist would veto a Constitution Carry bill the first Business day after Independence day weekend,” he wrote.