U.S.A. –-(AmmoLand.com)- HB 1636, removing the antiquated ban on carrying loaded pistols on Off-Highway Recreational Vehicles (OHRV) and snowmobiles, has become law in New Hampshire. Governor Sununu signed the bill on Friday, 17 June 2022.
House Bill 1636 is a simple stand-alone bill that removes the current ban. From HB 1636:
1 Off Highway Recreational Vehicles; Loaded Firearms Prohibited. Amend RSA 215-A:20 to read as follows:
215-A:20 Loaded Firearms Forbidden. No person shall carry on an OHRV,
or a trailer towed by same, any firearms unless said firearm is
unloaded. This section shall not apply to law enforcement officers
carrying firearms in the course of duty or to pistols or revolvers carried [under a permit issued pursuant to the authority of RSA 159] by any person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm by a New Hampshire statute.2 Snowmobiles; Loaded Firearms Forbidden. Amend RSA 215-C:35 to read as follows:
215-C:35 Loaded Firearms Forbidden. No person shall carry on a
snowmobile, or a trailer towed by same, any firearms unless said firearm
is unloaded. This section shall not apply to law enforcement officers
carrying firearms in the course of duty or to pistols or revolvers carried [under a permit issued pursuant to the authority of RSA 159] by any person who is not prohibited from possessing a firearm by a New Hampshire statute.3 Effective Date. This act shall take effect upon its passage.
HR 1636 is the last in a six-year quest to remove the New Hampshire antiquated firearms ban. Constitutional Carry passed in New Hampshire in 2017. Due to an oversight in the wording of the Constitutional Carry bill, the ban on carrying loaded handguns on snowmobiles and off-highway recreational vehicles was not removed from state law. There have been several attempts to remove the ban. In 2021, Governor Sununu vetoed one such bill but said he would sign a bill if it did not contain other provisions. From the Governor’s office in 2021:
I support the provisions in this bill that would apply our constitutional right to carry a firearm to OHRVs and snowmobiles and hope to sign such a bill next year. It is unfortunate that the legislature chose to tack on unrelated legislation that will cause those provisions to not move forward.
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In 2022 the bill passed the House on March 10, 204 to 134, and the Senate, on a voice vote, on April 28th, 2022.
HB 1636 was sitting in the President of the Senate, Senator Morse’ office for over six weeks.
New Hampshire Representative John Burt has been working to remove the OHRV and Snowmobile carry ban for six years. John was generous with his time to
talk to this correspondent.
On June 13, Representative Burt explained that the bill, under New Hampshire procedures, has to be sent to the governor, but the President of the Senate is able to decide when it is sent. This correspondent contacted Senator Morse’ office. Staff there said the bill had been recently sent to the Secretary of State. The Secretary of State will send the bill to Governor Sununu. The procedure usually takes a few days, seldom as long as a week.
The bill became law immediately upon signature on 17 June, 2022.
Off the Highway Recreational Vehicles and snowmobiles were the last vehicles in the state where a carry permit was required to carry a loaded handgun.
The infringement on Second Amendment rights has been removed.
About Dean Weingarten:
Dean Weingarten has been a peace officer, a military officer, was on the University of Wisconsin Pistol Team for four years, and was first certified to teach firearms safety in 1973. He taught the Arizona concealed carry course for fifteen years until the goal of Constitutional Carry was attained. He has degrees in meteorology and mining engineering, and retired from the Department of Defense after a 30 year career in Army Research, Development, Testing, and Evaluation.
the law was more than stupid, and the reasoning just like you would expect of a idiot
the basis for the law was a incident where someone hunting from a snowmobile had the gun across the handle bars with thumb through trigger guard gun went off someone got shot rather than a brain that would say gun in a scabbard like while riding a horse for safety. I have used a snow mobile for recovering a carcass but cant see hunting from one to much noise ,much easier from a horse
Yeah, It is surprising just how much noise three thrown snowballs makes.
I keep a air horn for boaters on my 4 wheeler. More for scaring the neighbor & getting a good chuckle. Than for emergency. They were going to throw it away when they got a new, used boat. They thought it wouldn’t work. It was never opened. So I took it. I usually get a lot of good stuff from them. Have had it for over a year now & it still works, tried it last week for another chuckle. I would still carry a firearm just for varmints. But I could see where this air horn could be quite… Read more »
great idea, at very least startle the predator long enough for you to get a good shot