February 21, 2008: The NH House Legislative Administration Committee held public hearings on HB1354, the bill to ban guns in the State House complex, on February 5. As customary, the bill's sponsor (and its only sponsor), Rep. Eleanor Glynn Kjellman of Henniker, spoke first. Of the 24 people who followed her, all spoke against the bill; nobody else spoke in favor of it. Among those testifying were five state representatives (Daniel Eaton, Jay Phinizy, David Welch, John Tholl, and Fran Wendelboe), including three Advisors of Pro-Gun New Hampshire (Phinizy, Welch, and Tholl); three other PGNH Advisors (Stretch Kennedy, Rose Vinci, and Chris Vinci); and two PGNH Directors (Sam Cohen, who testified on behalf of PGNH, and Richard Aldrich). Other PGNH lapel pins were visible in the room, including those worn by at least two others who testified against the bill.
During testimony, we learned that Representative Kjellman had proposed a committee amendment to her own bill, to make violation (carrying a gun in the State House complex) a felony.
The committee's executive session was held on February 14, and the report filed on the 19th declared a committee vote of nine to one to "ITL" the bill - that is, to recommend it "Inexpedient to Legislate." That recommendation will be voted on by the full New Hampshire House of Representatives in its March 5 session.