Republican Gov. Chris Sununu has introduced a new gun legislation that legalizes and allows concealed, loaded gun to be carried without a license. It's the first bill he has signed since taking office in the state of New Hampshire.
The governor has signed Senate Bill 12 of Constitutional Carry Legislation that allows anyone to legally possess a gun under state and federal law. The new gun legislation has eliminated the before concealed-carry license requirement for pistol and revolver owners.
"It is common-sense legislation," the governor said, according to the Governor's official website. "This is about making sure that our laws on our books are keeping people safe while remaining true to the live-free-or-die spirit."
According to the National Rifle Association, New Hampshire is 12th state to enact such a policy. Although the state is already an open-carry state, the new gun legislation makes a concealed-carry license optional, rather than mandatory.
Before the new gun legislation was implemented, individuals wanting to carry their gun concealed had to apply for a license from the local police officials who would decide if they were "suitable" for one. The system was too subjective, detractors said, according to Fox News.
Chairman of the state's Democratic Party, Raymond Buckley, criticized Sununu's signing of the bill in a statement. "The governor claims concealed carry is about 'safety,' but he is making it more difficult for law enforcement officials to keep track of guns that fall into the wrong hands," the statement said. Buckley explained that New Hampshire has more important issues that need the Governor's attention, and "further relaxing the state's notoriously lax gun laws is not one of them."
The new gun legislation has stirred serious concerns among public safety officials. Many of them are worried that it could put residents at risk and that it would make neighborhoods less safe, making it all the more more difficult for police to do their jobs.
