Governor Hassan's Veto Message Regarding SB 336

Statement

Governor Maggie Hassan released the following message after today vetoing Senate Bill 336:

"By the authority vested in me, pursuant to part II, Article 44 of the New Hampshire Constitution, on June 16, 2016, I have vetoed Senate Bill 336, relative to the qualifications for obtaining a license to carry a concealed pistol or revolver.

"As has been the case with the two bills eliminating New Hampshire's concealed carry permitting law that I have vetoed over the last two years, I continue to share the public safety concerns of law enforcement, public safety officials and citizens across New Hampshire about removing the protections that the permitting process offers to help ensure that potentially dangerous individuals are not allowed to carry hidden weapons.

"New Hampshire's current concealed carry permitting process 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. Our permitting process gives an important oversight role to local law enforcement, while also allowing for appeals through appropriate channels.

"As I always have, I continue to support the Second Amendment and the right of Americans to responsibly own guns for personal safety, hunting, and recreation. At the same time, this right must be balanced with public safety, which is why -- as the late Justice Antonin Scalia noted in the 2008 Supreme Court case of District of Columbia v. Heller -- states also have the ability and responsibility to appropriately regulate the concealed carry of firearms in order to maintain public safety.

"Because our current law -- which Republican Governor Mel Thomson referred to as 'a sensible handgun law' -- continues to serve New Hampshire well, and because I continue to believe that moving away from current concealed carry permitting law would compromise the safety of our citizens, I have vetoed Senate Bill 336."

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