NH: Campus Carry Bill Killed by Senate Amendments

 New Hampshire Emblem

The New Hampshire Campus Carry Bill, HB1793, appears to have been killed by Senate amendments and the unwillingness of the Senate to compromise with a conference committee. As reported on AmmoLand, the bill looked to have a bright future earlier this year.

HB 1793 had two major provisions: First, it removed the special power public institutions of higher learning, mostly colleges and universities, to infringe on the exercise of Second Amendment rights in New Hampshire. Second, the Bill made clear no special permit would be required to exercise those rights on campus. The legislature had the power to do this because the institutions of higher learning were public, not private institutions.

To enforce rights protected in the bill, individuals could sue institutions and individuals for violating the rights, as can be done for other constitutional rights. The bill had significant support. It passed the New Hampshire House on the fifth of February, 2026, 188 to 165 with 11 not voting and 30 absent. It was sent to the New Hampshire Senate.  On May 14, 2026, the Senate passed the bill with a “poison pill” amendment which eliminated the two provisions above, except for university professors. The House countered by not accepting the Senate amendment, but calling for a conference committee, to work out a compromise.  On May 21, the Senate rejected the request for a conference committee, on a voice vote, effectively killing the bill.

Analysis:

Through long observation, this correspondent has learned institutions of higher learning have influence with state legislatures far beyond what would be expected from the size of their staff and student bodies. Those institutions have moved further and further to the political left in the last 50 years. The logic of HB1793 was impeccable: Allow people on institutions of higher learning to exercise rights protected by the Second Amendment which they already could exercise when they stepped across the campus boundary line. The emotional arguments against the bill did not hold up against the facts. Considerable testimony and facts were presented in the legislative debates. New Hampshire already has Constitutional Carry.

Universities and colleges have long ago become centers of power of the political left and particularly, Progressive ideology. The rights protected by the Second Amendment are intensely rejected by Progressive ideology. Hostility to the Second Amendment is part of Progressive DNA. Progressives consider limits on governmental power to be irrational and evil.  A strong lobbying campaign was conducted against HB1793. It was enough to swing the votes to kill the Bill in the Senate. This will not be the end of efforts to restore constitutional rights to students on campus in New Hampshire. It is the end for a promising bill in the New Hampshire legislature this year.  Representative Samuel Farrington is the primary sponsor of the bill. He is one of the youngest members of the New Hampshire General Assembly. He showed himself to be energetic, capable, and strategic. The bill came very close to passage.  The fight for the bill accomplished a great deal of education about campus carry in New Hampshire. AmmoLand will continue to watch and report on the situation in New Hampshire and other states.

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