N.H. Lawmakers Introduce Permitless Concealed Carry Bill

New Hampshire lawmakers have introduced a so-called “constitutional carry” bill that would eliminate the concealed carry permit requirement.

As the Washington Times reports, current New Hampshire law requires gun owners to obtain a license from local law enforcement officials if they wish to carry a firearm concealed. Under Senate Bill 116, anyone who can legally buy a gun can carry it out in the open or concealed.

“(This bill) doesn’t expand the number of people that are legally entitled to carry weapons, nor does it expand the number of weapons that are already legal in the state,” said Senate Majority Leader Jeb Bradley, R-Wolfeboro, the bill’s primary sponsor.

There are currently five states with a “constitutional carry” law: Alaska, Arizona, Arkansas, Wyoming and Vermont. As the Times notes, Vermont has a low crime rate, which supporters of Senate Bill 116 say is linked to the state’s constitutional carry law.

According to the Washington Times, the Senate Judiciary Committee is set to make a recommendation on whether to pass Senate Bill 116 before officially sending it to the Senate floor.