Via The Truth About Guns by Scott Witner
A bill reaffirming that the New Hampshire Legislature, not state agencies or local governments, holds sole authority to regulate weapons on public property narrowly cleared a House committee this week.
House Bill 609, sponsored by Rep. Samuel Farrington (R-Rochester), seeks to close what he calls loopholes in the state’s existing firearms preemption law after learning the New Hampshire Department of Transportation barred its employees from carrying firearms on the job.
“The intent here is to emphasize that the Legislature’s preemption is the last word on the subject,” Farrington told the House Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
Expanding Preemption
New Hampshire’s current preemption law, signed in 2003 by then-Gov. Craig Benson, already reserves regulation of firearms, components, ammunition, and supplies to the Legislature. In 2011, Gov. John Lynch expanded that statute to include knives.
Farrington’s proposal would extend those protections even further—covering stun guns, Tasers, pepper spray, and other self-defense tools. It also bars any state, county, or municipal agency from creating or enforcing its own weapons rules that conflict with state law.
Partisan Divide
The House panel approved the measure 9–7 along strict party lines, with Republicans in favor and Democrats opposed. Critics argued the legislation could handcuff local authorities from setting policies for large public events, such as the New Hampshire Air Show at Pease Air National Guard Base in Newington.
“This is of a very broad, sweeping nature,” said Rep. David Meuse (D-Portsmouth). “It would override the practices of a lot of communities and further restrict local control.”
Supporters countered that Pease’s ban on firearms wouldn’t be affected, since it sits on federal property.
“I suspect Pease has a strong argument,” said Committee Chairman Terry Roy (R-Deerfield). “It’s a former federal Air Force base, and they have the right to restrict firearms there. The Legislature couldn’t change that.”
Legal Questions Ahead
Democrats warned that the legislation could trigger legal ambiguity around quasi-public agencies like the Pease Development Authority, which manages the base property. Rep. Buzz Scherr (D-Portsmouth) called it “just a messy legal issue.”
Rep. Mark Proulx (R-Manchester), a retired Nashua police lieutenant, dismissed that argument, saying the PDA is simply enforcing the policy of a federal airport.
Looking Forward
The full House is expected to vote on HB 609 early in the 2026 legislative session. With a GOP-controlled Legislature and strong support from gun-rights advocates, the measure’s prospects appear favorable.
As Committee Chair Roy put it, lawmakers have a clear priority:
“There’s no constitutional right to a cooler—but the Second Amendment is fundamental.”
Read in its entirety at thetruthaboutguns.com.
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