You have just lost part of your second amendment rights.
Last year, a very unpopular bill to ban carrying in the statehouse (HB1354) was defeated.
This week, in a secretive move to circumvent the legislative process, the Joint Legislative Services Committee voted to ban any sort of carrying in the statehouse. They are basically a ‘housekeeping’ committee, you know, coffee and that sort of thing?
This is, plainly and simply, legislating through rule making with no public hearings. They know these measures are unpopular, so they have found other ways to circumvent the normal process.
It’s a “we know best” attitude; no need to listen to the public.
Ironically, this puts legislators and visitors to the statehouse more at risk. Up until now it is likely that the presence of law abiding citizens who carried were a discouragement to any untoward behavior in the capitol. But now, only the outlaws will be carrying.
The rule states:
“No person, except for law enforcement personnel in active duty, shall carry a firearm or other dangerous or deadly weapon or an explosive, openly or concealed, while inside the State House, the legislative Office building, the dUpham Walker House, or any of the underground tunnels connected to these buildings. Law enforcement personnel, when requested by State House security staff, must produce sufficient identification establishing their status as law enforcement personnel.”
The vote was 8-3 along party lines.
The members of this joint facilities committee are:
Sylvia Larsen (D)
Terie Norelli (D)
Margaret Hassan (D)
Mary Jane Wallner (D)
Peter Bragdon (R)
Sherman Packard (R)
Lou D’Allesandro (D)
Marjorie Smith (D)
Daniel Eaton (D)
Gene Chandler (R) (not present)
Martha Fuller Clark (D)
Sheila Roberge (R)
Write to ask them how they dared.
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