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Penalties for town gun laws?

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If HB 1749 becomes law, it would end all ordinances or rules made by any local public or private entity regarding the sale, use, or possession of firearms, their supplies, or knives. It would also impose penalties for local officials who knowingly pass such ordinances in violation of the state statute. Read more about this issue

Do you support legislation that explicitly prohibits cities and towns from passing their own gun regulations, and imposes penalties on local officials who knowingly violate state law by passing a gun ordinance?

Discussion held on Citizens Count NH website and Facebook page January 4, 2018

205 citizens responded 159 citizens were in favor of prohibiting town gun laws25 citizens were opposed to prohibiting town gun laws 21 citizens said other
What Participants Said

Yes: 159 people were in favor of explicitly prohibiting towns from passing gun regulations and imposing penalties on public officials who knowingly violate state law by doing so.

  • “The whole lack of reciprocity with other states is bad enough, I can't imagine the chaos that would result if towns followed suit. Just on my daily drive I am in and pass through a half dozen towns.”
  • “This is already the law, except there's no penalty for violating it.  This bill simply actually requires that the government officials actually obey the existing law.  Hard to argue against holding such criminal officials accountable for their crimes.”
  • “State laws need to be valid in the whole state. Towns should not get to opt out of abiding by them or making laws to circumvent them.”

No: 25 people were opposed to explicitly prohibiting towns from passing gun regulations and imposing penalties on public officials who knowingly violate state law by doing so.

  • “Sometimes cities have specific situations that require more restrictions, like large public venues, past violent issues, serious drug issues, that would suggest tighter gun laws than state or federal levels.”
  • “Individual towns should be able to regulate according to their ability to police, enforce and in recognition of unique risks.”
  • “State and federal law has too much power already. If individual towns can't pass their own gun ordinances, what's next?”

Other: 21 people commented on related questions and issues instead. 
These included:

  • Gun laws in general: “Any gun control law is unconstitutional, period.”
  • Home rule: “Isn't it already illegal to usurp state law with a city or town law?”
  • Enforcement: “Feds have rules about schools; if they (Feds) want to enforce those rules they can send in their enforcers. Our local and state police follow (or should) our state laws and local ordinances.”

*Editor selection of actual participant quotes.

Read the full Facebook discussion of this question

Click here for details on our methodology

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