Action

Today the U.S. Senate will debate and vote on gun control. Senator Kelly Ayotte hasn't yet stated how she plans to vote on this issue. Send her an email and urge her to show leadership on this issue and vote in favor of Manchin-Toomey today, a bill that would expand background check requirements.

Read more about the bill here and then contact Senator Ayotte.

Guns in the Statehouse.

I first heard about Sandy Hook on Facebook. 

Initially, there were reports about another school shooting (sad, but not shocking, which is sad in itself) but within a few minutes the information grew and became even more horrific.

I sat in front of my computer, with the TV on, crying.

I remember what it was like to pick my kids up from school that day. And how I wrestled with the decision about whether or not to tell them before they went back to school on Monday, struggling with how to tell my own first grader not to worry--you'll be safe at school. 

I remember the Facebook posts promising that this time was different and we were going to write letters and keep talking about it and make sure that things changed, but to be honest, I haven't written a letter since that first week. Have you?

Gun control is still a big issue in the country and if you've turned the national news on recently you've probably heard that the filibuster was defeated and the Senate will begin debate on gun control, thanks in large part to the efforts of Sandy Hook parents. It's a good first step.

Those same parents were instrumental in getting the most comprehensive gun control legislation in the country passed in Connecticut. Impressive.

And what about closer to home? What's been happening here in NH? 

We're nowhere close to having comprehensive gun control legislation passed in the Granite State. 

The previous legislature worked to make it easier to have and carry guns in NH. Some of the measures passed by the House included allowing guns on college campuses and in dorms, allowing loaded rifles and shotguns in cars, allowing guns in the State House chambers and the "Stand your ground" legislation, to name a few. You can read a more comprehensive list at Granite State Progress and I wrote about how our state representatives voted on some of those bills here and here. 

Here are some current issues around guns in NH:

One of the first items taken up by this legislature was repeal of the controversial bill that allowed guns on the house floor. That passed 196-153 with Reps. Michael Cahill, Patricia Lovejoy and Marcia Moody voting for repeal and Adam Schroadter voting against. You can read more about that bill here.

The House recently took up the repeal of the "Stand Your Ground" bill that was passed by the last legislature. This passed 189-184 with Reps. Michael Cahill and Patricia Lovejoy voting for repeal and Adam Schroadter voting against. Marcia Moody did not vote. 

Another gun related issue is HB 451 "repealing the license requirement for carrying a concealed pistol or revolver." Reps. Michael Cahill and Patricia Lovejoy voted to kill the bill. Adam Schroadter supported the bill. Marcia Moody did not vote.

We clearly have a long way to go. 

But it's not too late to send a message to our elected officials and ask for their support. Senators Jeanne Shaheen and Kelly Ayote need to hear from Granite Staters about universal background checks and other proposed federal gun control and safety measures. 

Contact your State Representatives and State Senators (find them here) and ask them what they are doing here in NH and why they vote like they do.

It's been 4 months since Sandy Hook. I've watched some of the mothers of those children on the news recently and am amazed at their strength.

The least I can do is write a letter. 

Guns in the House.

I won't pretend to understand why some of our legislators feel the need to be armed on the House floor. The idea that they could potentially protect themselves or others from someone shooting from the gallery seems silly to me. I don't know a lot about guns, but I do know that you don't have to prove that you're a good shot to carry one. I'll have a 4th grader next year who will visit the State House and I would prefer that we leave the protection of him and his classmates to the professionals. (And there already is armed security, by the way, on the House floor.)

Representatives Michael Cahill, Patricia Lovejoy and Marcia Moody all voted to ban guns on the House floor. 
Adam Schroadter voted to allow guns on the House floor. 

Maybe you're for it, maybe you're against it. But at least now you know how your reps voted. 

Powerless

Yes, I believe this is about guns. 

Here are some of the issues taken up during the last legislative session in New Hampshire as reported by Granite State Progress:

• whether to allow someone who was denied a handgun license to petition directly to the Superior court and skip the local process.
• whether to allow guns on college campuses and dorms, in athletic stadiums and public parks and beaches.
• whether to exempt firearms, fire arm accessories, and ammunition manufactured in New Hampshire from federal law and regulation. A yes vote on this bill additionally made a state or federal official, who enforced a lawful federal regulation, guilty of a misdemeanor or felony.
• whether to eliminate licensing requirements for N.H. residents to own and carry firearms such as pistols and revolvers, "whether openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded."
• whether to overturn established law that prohibited carrying loaded rifles and shotguns in vehicles.
• whether to allow any person, meeting certain statutory requirements, to carry a firearm, openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded, on or about their person or upon or in a vehicle, whether or not such person possesses a license, permit, or other authorization to carry a firearm. This bill also removed the requirement that non-residents obtain a license to possess a firearm while in New Hampshire.
• whether to allow the use of firearms and fireworks in crowded, heavily populated cities and towns.

The President said that now is the time for action. Then he read the names of 20 children murdered on Friday. They were 1st graders.

I have a 1st grader who is happy to have a snow day today and looking forward to Christmas next week. He is excited about learning Math and reading new books. He is sweet and competitive and stubborn and innocent and I will not stand to hear an elected official justify compromising his safety by hiding behind the 2nd Amendment.

We have a voice and we can use it. I don't want to struggle again with the decision of whether or not to tell my 7 & 9 year old about another mass shooting in a school or a mall or a movie theater. I'm using my voice to talk about this and I beg you to use yours.

Find your elected representatives here: http://votesmart.org/. Write to your state reps, your Governor, your Congressmen and your Senators.  

As the President asked last night-"What choice do we have?"

15 Days

I've written twice now about gun bills and you can read those posts here and here. HB 536 is another example of the House's irresponsible policy on guns that eliminates the licensing requirement to carry a firearm.

Here's what that legislation would do:

• make a license to carry a firearm optional
• allow firearms to be carried or transported without a license --openly or concealed, loaded or unloaded
• reduces the fee for non-resident licenses from $100 to $20. 

It seems like common sense to me that a person should have a license to carry a gun, but Adam Schroadter didn't think so. He voted in favor of this bill. 

Marcia Moody and Patty Lovejoy both opposed this bill.

**Josh Davenport did not vote on this piece of legislation

24 Days

The gun laws passed by the current legislature in New Hampshire have been described as reckless and irresponsible. 

Take HB 160, a law that overturned a 40-year-old ban on carrying guns in the Statehouse according to an article in The Wire.

Do our legislators really need to be armed?

Adam Schroadter and Josh Davenport think so. They both voted in favor of this bill.

33 Days

HB 334 is described by Granite State Progress as "A bill that would allow guns on college campuses and dorms, in athletic stadiums and public parks and beaches. This bill additionally restricted local communities from making local decisions regarding firearms in these areas."

And how do you think our legislators voted?

Josh Davenport voted in favor of HB 334.

Adam Schroadter voted in favor of HB 334.

Marcia Moody voted against HB 334. 

Here is some more feedback about the bill:

From the Union Leader:
"Rep. Stephen Shurtleff, D-Concord, said the bill would allow guns at day-care centers on state property, including community colleges, and at the Merrimack County Nursing Home.
The bill “is like yelling fire in a crowded theater,” he said. “There are some places in New Hampshire where we just don't want guns. This bill will put guns in places they just don't belong.”

From the Nashua Patch:
Written by Terie Norelli, House Democratic Leader.
"All of New Hampshire’s public colleges and universities currently ban guns on campus, and HB 334 would mandate a reversal of that policy.  University officials and police, citing the prevalence of alcohol use and the fact that one’s college years are “often among the most volatile periods in a person’s life,” requested an exemption to HB 334 that would retain their authority to regulate the possession of firearms on campus.  That request was denied, as supporters of the bill actually argued that allowing everyone to carry guns on campus makes us safer."

Described as "lunacy" by Boston.com: 
The House approved bills allowing people to drive around with loaded rifles and shotguns, and to carry concealed guns without permits. But the killer bill, and I do mean killer, is HB 334: That one would prohibit college, state, and local officials from banning guns on state and community college campuses, and on other state property, including sports and concert arenas where alcohol is served and fights happen. That bit of lunacy passed by a 180-to-144 vote in the House.