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A controversial bill that would have imposed the requirement for government permission for nearly all private firearm transfers overwhelmingly failed in the New Hampshire House of Representatives yesterday. In the image above, a yea votes were cast to kill the bill. HB1589 appeared to have some support, with a majority vote early in the amendment process. After nearly two hours of debate, though, the house voted over two to one to kill it . . .

As examiner.com reports:

An amendment was brought forth by Representative Laura Jones which would require a study commission be set up to further study the bill. This amendment passed with 177-175 votes.

HB 1589 was officially amended to a study commission which was then voted on by the House in an overwhelming win of 242-118, essentially killing the bill. There was a further motion to be sure the bill was sufficiently dead and buried that then passed by 244-113.

Second Amendment supporters were concerned that Michael Bloomberg, the billionaire citizen disarmament zealot, might have injected enough money into the process to overcome the strong grassroots opposition in New Hampshire. New Hampshire, the Live Free or Die State, has been a shining example of a state with relatively few infringements on the Second Amendment along with a very low crime rate.

Background checks in federal law have never extended to private sales, creating a safety valve that prevents effective gun registration from being implemented. A universal background check law that requires all sales to obtain government permission creates a system to allow for registration in the future.

In the Heller decision, Justice Scalia wrote that commercial sales could be regulated, implying that under the Second Amendment, the regulation of private sales of weapons would fall outside of federal power. In New Hampshire, grassroots opposition overcame outside elitist funding.

©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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46 COMMENTS

    • Texas is legally ‘meh’ but culturally awesome at least for now so that works; also Arizonans legally balls out for guns so theirs also that Nevadans probly gonna start a down hill slide pretty soon but their also good.

    • NH is a great state, but we’ve got an infection of massachusetts residents who are constantly bringing down our level of cool. Heck, our stupid governor is from Boston! Mass folk screwed up their state and now they are moving north to wreck NH. I’m personally in favor of building a wall to keep em out!

      • I’m ok with this but only if you let refugees like myself in.

        I promise to support the second amendment and buy a private sale, CT illegal, “assault weapon” the moment I can!

      • I’m ok with this but only if you let refugees like myself in.

        I promise to support the second amendment and buy a private sale, CT illegal, “assault weapon” the moment I can!

      • That might be the perception of some, but a lot of the democrat votes are coming from the largely native North Country. A lot of the people moving here from MA are Libertarian/Republican leaners trying to get away from the nanny state.

      • As a Nashua resident I would be honored to help you build such a wall. Blinkypete would probably throw in some moves as well.

  1. I live in NH. I looked close for a while. But the state reps were drowned in emails, faxs, and phone calls of people saying that NH did not need out of state lawyers writing our laws.

    You know it must be really unpopular when the NH house (democratic majority) votes 2-1 to kill a anti gun bill. The NH house regularly has passed a few anti-gun or anti stand your ground laws and then the Republican led Senate rejects them. Last year a SYG Repeal was approved in the House and killed by the Senate. So that makes this vote more impressive.

    • It was my impression that, regardless of party affiliation of local politicians, NH was overall more libertarian leaning than anything.

      • That’s is true. There are reports we have as many as 60 libertarian legislators. Of course they ski run under the two party system.

    • Noted the vote in NH and the 9th circuit decision. Can it be that what is going on in the Executive Branch has finally shocked some people into realizing that this is not the time for politics, because this Country’s future is at stake?

      In any case, I’m sitting here in NH watching the snow and wondering if it’s fallout from Hell freezing over.

  2. A great day to be a gun guy. The Ninth Circuit knocks down “good cause,” NH kills UBC and Shaneka Torres goes to jail for trying to steal my bacon.

    Life is good.

  3. OK, now I’m certain hell has frozen.
    2 victories announced in the same day?
    Gonna stop and buy a lottery ticket.

    Stay away from my bacon, Ralph!

  4. Which one of the regulars was telling me we were nothing but “Colorado: The Sequel”?
    Yeah, you are still wrong.

  5. Actually, the NH House killed the bill yesterday. I’m still trying to find out who voted for it. That said, the gun grabbers have suffered a huge defeat. Unfortunately, when I drive south or west I drive through MA, CT, NY, NJ, MD, and DE I sweat the trip if I have my Constitutionally legal firearm with me.

    • Sucks, huh? I call those “occupied states.” I miss Northern New England, all my family is there. But, being too old to shovel snow, Texas is the home for me.

    • I left MA last year with all MA legal stuff. I had to pass through NY to get to Ohio. I was sweating the whole trip because NY does not give a rats ass about the FOPA.

    • I should rephrase it. My recollection is that NH legislature came a bit too close to repealing the NH Stand Your Ground law last year, which seems at odds with the House there being 242 to 118 pro-gun. So, how safe is that State these days?

      • You are half correct. The 177-175 vote was to amend the bill to a study commission. After that vote the decided to ITL the bill (inexpedient to legislate… Killing it for this legislative period).
        Yes too close. We will pick up at least 20 pro-gun legislators in the 2014 election so it will be of the table for sure next session too.

  6. This is good news. What is not good news is 118 morons were willing to screw over the citizens of NH. Keep fighting!

  7. Wait wait WAIT.
    You’re telling me that billions of dollars can’t change hearts and minds?! But…but…that’s impossible! Bloomberg said so!

  8. Come join the party. The Free State Project is an organization looking to move 20,000 liberty loving people to NH to work for liberty in their lifetime. With more like-minded people we can accomplish great things such as standing up to Bloomberg’s gun control.
    http://www.freestateproject.org

  9. If Reps. Butker, Schlachman, Muns, Shurtleff, Andrews-Ahearn, Borden, Brown, Harding, Rogers, Ward, or Sen Pierce are your Legislators, Make an effort to oust them in the November elections. Do not let this go. Next Legislative session contact your reps and let’s get rid of a permit for concealed carry.

    • I know this doesn’t make me any new friends here, but I’m unconcerned with NH’s concealed carry permitting process. Maybe it’s just because I moved from MA, but I don’t view a shall-issue permit that costs $10 and takes 3 days (no more than 10 by law) as an infringement. Furthermore, repealing it in favor of Vermont Carry would leave us open for a truly restrictive permitting process if it was ever put back in place. Lastly, my hope is that one day we can institute a Texas like system where permit holders don’t need to undergo NICS checks for FFL purchases.

      • That is a very valid point and there is plenty of room for discussion. This victory came down to one or two votes, really too close to prevent this same bill from coming up in the next session. Unless there is a change in the makeup of the Legislature.

    • 2 Republicans voted against the study committee (which was an attempt to get rid off the bill). One from Sanborton (Fields) and the other from Plaistow. They both need to go.

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