Constitutional Carry Now Law in New Hampshire

Gov. Sununu’s signature on Feb. 22, 2017, made New Hampshire the 11th state with constitutional carry, which minimizes hurdles faced by law-abiding citizens who decide to exercise their Second Amendment rights.

New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu (R) signed Senate Bill 12 into law on Feb. 22.

“SB 12 ensures New Hampshire citizens are guaranteed the fundamental right to carry a firearm in defense of themselves and their families, as prescribed by Article 2a of our state constitution,” he said. “This common sense legislation aligns our concealed carry laws with that of our neighboring states of Vermont and Maine and states across the country. This is about safety. This is about making sure that the laws on our books are keeping people safe while remaining true to the Live Free or Die spirit that makes New Hampshire the great state that it is. This is a commitment I made to the people of New Hampshire and I am proud today to fulfill that commitment, signing SB12 into law.”

“New Hampshire now joins an ever-growing number of states in passing constitutional carry,” NRA Institute for Legislative Action Executive Director Chris W. Cox said. “Despite the best efforts of Michael Bloomberg-funded groups to distort the truth, the New Hampshire legislature and governor stood strong for freedom.”

New Hampshire already allows open carry, but keeping a self-defense handgun under concealment while in public—until this week— required approval from local law enforcement authorities who often consider vastly different criteria when someone applies for a permit. That was one of the reasons for the change. Rep. J.R. Hoell  (R-Dunbarton) told the Concord-Monitor, “We have seen substantial abuse of the current statutes by various police departments.”

The signing ceremony for SB 12 was the first held since Gov. Sununu took office. The new law doesn’t curtail the state’s concealed-carry permits, which will continue to be particularly attractive to residents who travel to states with reciprocity agreements.