Carson, French oppose changing current common-sense firearm laws

Concord, NH – Today the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee held public hearings for HB 109-FN, requiring background checks for commercial firearms sales, HB 514-FN, imposing a waiting period between the purchase and delivery of a firearm and HB 564, relative to possession of firearms on school property. Following the committee hearings Senator Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry) and Senator Harold French (R-Franklin) issued the following statements:

“The three pieces of legislation that we heard today will be ineffective in stopping gun violence and will have adverse effects in our communities,” said Senator Sharon Carson (R-Londonderry). “While there are technical problems that would require a background check to be performed every time a firearm changes hands even among family and friends, there are many other issues that make these pieces of legislation harmful to law abiding citizens. Fighting the mental health crisis in the state would be a much more effective way to prevent violent crime and the tragic act of suicide in New Hampshire.”

“The New Hampshire legislature should do everything we can to prevent gun violence in the state,” said Senator Harold French (R-Franklin). “Unfortunately, the proposals we heard today in committee are the wrong answer to a tragic problem. Every year New Hampshire is consistently listed as one of the safest states in the nation and changing our gun laws, even though good intentioned, will not make us any safer. This is a solution in search of a problem and will only make it more difficult for law abiding Granite Staters to protect their families.”