In a disheartening blow to Second Amendment rights, the New Hampshire Senate Judiciary Committee has effectively torpedoed HB 1793, the campus carry bill that promised to restore self-defense freedoms for permit holders on public college campuses. On April 30, 2026, the panel stripped out the key provision allowing concealed carry permit (CPL) holders to bring their firearms onto state university grounds, then punted the gutted remains to a study committee. It's the classic political maneuver: "kill it with kindness" by endless deliberation.
Let's rewind. HB 1793 started with noble intentions in the House, aiming to treat college students and staff like the adults they are. Granite Staters aged 18-20 already carry legally off-campus with a CPL, but step onto UNH or community college property, and poof—your constitutional rights evaporate. The bill sought to fix that, recognizing that "gun-free zones" are magnets for mayhem, not safety sanctuaries.
Opponents trotted out the usual hysteria: "Think of the children!" Never mind that college kids aren't children—they're voting, serving in the military, and signing contracts. Never mind that CPL holders in New Hampshire undergo rigorous background checks, training, and fingerprinting. These are the most law-abiding among us, statistically less likely to commit crimes than your average Joe. But facts be damned when emotions run the show.
Debate raged over "student safety," with anti-gun activists painting doomsday scenarios of Wild West shootouts in lecture halls. Reality check: In states like Texas, Colorado, and Florida—where campus carry is reality for permit holders—there's zero spike in accidents or misuse. Active shooters, meanwhile, love disarmed victim zones. Virginia Tech (2007: 32 dead), Umpqua Community College (2015: 10 dead), and countless others prove it. Disarming law-abiding adults doesn't stop criminals; it empowers them.
New Hampshire's "Live Free or Die" motto rings hollow when lawmakers cave to out-of-state gun control lobbies. This isn't about safety; it's about control. The study committee? A delay tactic to let the issue die quietly. But 2A supporters aren't going down without a fight. Contact your senators, rally at the State House, and keep the pressure on. HB 1793 might be sidelined, but the right to self-defense on campus is far from buried.
Stay vigilant, patriots. The Second Amendment isn't a suggestion—it's the law of the land. We'll be back stronger.
References
- https://www.concordmonitor.com/2026/04/30/senate-panel-guts-campus-carry-bill
- https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2026-04-30/bill-campus-carry-guns-study-under-senate-amendment-nh-newhampshire
- https://www.wmur.com/article/nh-campus-carry-study-committee-43026/71181072
- https://www.seacoastonline.com/story/news/politics/2026/04/30/nh-campus-carry-bill-likely-dead-after-senate-committee-vote/89834276007
- https://www.unionleader.com/news/politics/state/nh-senate-proposal-calls-for-studying-campus-carry-for-guns/article_226ba054-4eb6-4fa8-8704-fa33470e6e42.html